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Tag: Ibitoye Abosede

  • NDDC resumes foreign scholarship scheme

    Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) says it has concluded plans to resume its Post-Graduate Foreign scholarship to qualified indigent youths in the Niger Delta.

    Mr Ibitoye Abosede, NDDC’s Director of Corporate Communications, announced this in a statement in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.

    He stated that the Governing Board and Management of the company had met and approved the commencement of the 2018 award process worth about 30,000 U.S. dollars per annum.

    He noted that the programme was cancelled earlier to allow the commission to carry out comprehensive restructuring of the scheme.

    He stated that “NDDC regrets the cancellation of the inconclusive 2017 award process and the inconveniences suffered by students who applied for the scholarship.

    “To this end, all outstanding tuition for recipients of the scholarship have been cleared. This is to provide a fresh start and a seamless process.

    “However, any student who has proof of non-receipt of payment should feel free to contact the commission immediately.”

    Read Also: NDDC Resumes Post-Graduate Foreign Scholarship Programme

    Abosede explained that the scheme covered disciplines in engineering, medical sciences, computer science technology, geosciences, environmental sciences, agriculture, environment, oil and gas law and project management.

    He added that advertisement for the scholarship would be published in national media and the commission’s website.

    Established in 2010, the scholarship is designed to produce top level professionals with technical manpower, capacity and expertise to compete in oil and gas industry and in other sectors.

    So far, 1,409 students have benefitted from the programme, including Charles Igwe, whose unique redesign of the Turcot Interchange road saved the Montreal Area Municipality (Canada) over one billion dollars.

    Igwe is a Ph.D student of Construction Engineering at Concordia University in Canada.

    Similarly, Mr Ubong Peters won a global three-minute thesis competition.

    The NDDC spokesman, therefore, urged interested and qualified candidates to take advantage of the opportunity to apply for the foreign scholarship.

  • NDDC to complete 25km road project in Imo – Ekere

    The Niger Delta Development Commission ( NDDC ) plans to complete 25-km dual carriage way to connect Imo and Rivers states, an official said.

    Mr Nsima Ekere, the Managing Director of NDDC, gave assurance while inspecting the road project, according to a statement by the commission’s Director, Corporate Affairs, Ibitoye Abosede, on Monday in Port Harcourt.

    Ekere said the project would run through Port Harcourt Owerri junction-Avu-Adapalm-Etekuru-Ohaji Egbema and terminate at Ogba Egbema Local Government Area in Imo.

    He said: “The road is very important project for the NDDC and the Niger Delta. It will enhance regional integration which is one of the things the current things that we are passionate about.

    “Also, the expansion of the road means that the project will cumulatively amount to constructing 50-km of road.

    “This is so because 25-km of the existing road will be totally reconstructed,” he said.

    According to the statement, Ekere also inspected construction of internal roads in Umueze, Ehime Mbano and Obolo, Isiala Mbano local government areas in Imo.

    The NDDC boss said that NDDC would construct other undisclosed internal roads spanning four kilometres across the two local government areas.

    “We are committed to building sustainable infrastructure in the region. We don’t want to build roads that will fail after six months.

    “If we are able to complete one kilometre road, then it should be a solid road infrastructure that will last for a long time

    “We are happy with the contractor working on the Obolo-Umueze road for taking measures to guarantee quality delivery considering the challenging terrain of the region,” he said.

    The NDDC boss urged the people to continue to support President Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment to develop rural communities in the Niger Delta.

    According to the statement, Eze Igu, the paramount ruler of Umueze 1, thanked the commission for building internal roads in the area.

    “By fixing our roads, the NDDC board and management have shown us love and has given us hope and confidence on the administration of President Buhari,” he said.

    NAN

  • NDDC, NSIP to tackle poverty in Niger Delta – Ekere

    NDDC, NSIP to tackle poverty in Niger Delta – Ekere

    The Niger Delta Development Commission ( NDDC ) says it will work with the National Social Investment Programme ( NSIP ) to eradicate poverty in Niger Delta.

    NDDC Managing Director, Mr Nsima Ekere, said this on Thursday in Port Harcourt, when the Special Adviser to the President and Head of NSIP, Mrs Maryam Uwais, led a delegation to the commission’s headquarters.

    According to a statement by the commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Ibitoye Abosede, NDDC will support NSIP to fight poverty in Niger Delta because poverty knows no political affiliation or religious inclination.

    “I am happy that NSIP is fighting poverty and striving to give hope to the poorest of the poor – who arguably are more in the Niger Delta that produces the nation’s wealth.

    “The present NDDC board and management are making efforts to return the commission to its core mandate. This explains why we currently have as much as 8,000 projects ongoing,” he said.

    Ekere said the desire to end poverty in the region led the board to adopt a 4-R strategy which focuses on redefining the commission’s processes.

    He said the strategy aimed at restructuring the commission’s balance sheet; restore its core mandate and reaffirm commitment to doing what was right and proper at all times.

    He said the strategy also entails reformation of the commission’s governance system to ensure it complies with extant rules and regulations.

    “NDDC has done a lot in infrastructure over the years; however, we also want to build human capital, which is the area that connects with NSIP mandate to fight poverty.

    “We are embarking on collaborations that will help; recently, we signed agreement with NEXIM bank to help us achieve this.

    “We want to create an export initiative in the agricultural sector – which will create jobs and help the nation’s economy, especially now that value of crude oil is waning,” he said.

    Ekere said the commission was in partnership with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency ( SMEDAN ) to create jobs for indigent youths and train women on businesses.

    Earlier, Uwais, the Head, NSIP, called on NDDC to assist the body to drive its four social investment programmes in the region.

    She said the Federal Government’s N-Power job programme for unemployed tertiary graduates in the country was by far “the largest spending item among its four social investment programmes.”

    “N-Power job scheme for unemployed graduates is running in 36 states and have seen 200,000 unemployed youths effectively enrolled, validated in 2016 and cleared to receive N30,000 monthly stipend.

    “The number of beneficiaries is expected to increase to about 400,000 in a couple of months,” she said.

    Uwais said they had made progress with GEEP, designed to empower market women, traders and artisans, with the disbursement of interest free loans.

    She said the portal for engagement of the beneficiaries would soon be opened and would last for a period of six weeks.

    NAN

  • Embrace the Niger Delta master plan – NDDC urges monarchs

    Embrace the Niger Delta master plan – NDDC urges monarchs

    The Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC) has urged traditional rulers in the South-South region of the country to embrace the master plan of the Niger Delta region.

    The NDDC Chairman, Sen. Victor Ndoma-Egba, stated this when he received the delegation of the South-South Monarchs Forum led by King Edmund Daukoru, the Amayanabo of Nembe in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.

    A statement by Mr Ibitoye Abosede, Director Corporate Affairs of The Commission, disclosed that the chairman decried the abandonment of the master plan shortly after it was launched in 2007.

    “We must return to the Master Plan. We have to agree on whether to terminate the current Master Plan, update it or upgrade it. And we need the traditional institution to play a role in this process,” he said.

    Ndoma-Egba stated that a comprehensive plan was necessary for any meaningful development and progresses to take place.

    He said that the NDDC was collaborating with state governments as partners rather than alternatives or competitors for the overall development of the region.

    According to the chairman, the region need to be united in all its activities to achieve the desired peace and development in the Niger Delta.

    He added: “There is no doubt that the South-South region has to speak with one voice and that is why engagements of this nature are very important because it will help us find a common ground.

    “It will help us synchronize our thoughts and our ideas so that whenever and wherever we speak as leaders of the South-South, whether as traditional rulers or political leaders, we speak with one voice.

    “I believe that the reality on ground is that the traditional institution plays a role in ensuring peace, mobilizing for development, providing a forum for dialogue, or providing a framework for furthering an action with others in this country.”

    On his part, Daukoru said that the landscape of the Niger Delta was dotted with “fruits from the Commission.”

    “We are ready to partner with NDDC and give you all the encouragement you need and we are hoping that we will see a bit more of you in terms of outreach through us to the grassroots people.

    “We also want to act as a channel and an advocacy institution for you so that through us, you will be able to communicate to the people whatever opportunities are open that they can participate more effectively.”

    Daukoru, who was a former Minister of Petroleum, decried the past neglect of the Niger Delta, stressing that the monarchs are the “missing ingredient” needed to galvanize positive development in the region.

  • NDDC to build women development centres

    NDDC to build women development centres

    The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) says it will build and equip women development centres in nine states of the Niger Delta region as part of its efforts to empower women economically.

    Mr Nsima Ekere, the Managing Director of NDDC made this known in a statement issued by the commission’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Mr Ibitoye Abosede in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

    Ekere said this when members of the Forum of Niger Delta Women (FNDW) visited the commission.

    Ekere said that the commission would work closely with the Forum to provide women with training programmes in agriculture, among others.

    “The training will come with starter packs and seed capital to ensure its sustainability aimed at developing the capacity of women in the region.

    “We are only concerned with the behaviour of some trainees who sell their starter-packs which reverses the gains of the programme,” he said.

    According to Ekere, women are drivers of the economy and have played important roles in the development of the country since independence.

    “Women are drivers of the society as well as shape the thinking of society and order the ways of the youth.

    “This is because, mothers have great influence on a child, and as such, whoever jokes with women will have him or herself to blame,” he said.

    Ekere urged the forum to sensitise younger women on the need to avoid violence and criminality that were inimical to the progress of the country.

    The managing director said that President Muhammadu Buhari was committed to the development of the Niger Delta, and as such, deserved support of women in the region.

    Earlier, Mrs Maureen Tamuno, the Coordinator of FNDW said the forum was prepared to work with NDDC to develop the region.

    She commended the commission’s governing board and management over formulation and implementation of policies that sought to improve lives of the people.

    “We observed with pleasure the commission’s desire to bring about development and readiness to engage women and youths to curb restiveness in the society,” he said.

    Tamuno called on NDDC to build women centres in every state and in some local government areas of the region to give women a sense of belonging.

  • NDDC pledges support for Ozoro Polytechnic in Niger Delta region

    NDDC pledges support for Ozoro Polytechnic in Niger Delta region

    The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has restated its resolve to  assist the Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro, with the provision of basic infrastructure, such as roads and hostel accommodation.

    The Managing Director, Mr Nsima Ekere, said this in a statement issued by Mr Ibitoye Abosede, the Director Corporate Affairs of  the Commission on Wednesday.

    Ekere, represented by the Executive Director Projects, Mr Samuel Adjogbe, said this when he received members of the Governing Council, led by the Chairman, Funkekeme Solomon at the NDDC Headquarters in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

    According to Ebere,  the Commission is  making efforts to complete all on-gong projects in the institution.

    He said that the Commission would also embark on new projects such as the construction of hostel accommodation and other infrastructure to enable students learn under a conducive atmosphere.

    ”We will no longer allow people to hide NDDC money in their powers without delivering on projects. We are doing this to reposition the Commission.”

    Speaking earlier, the Chairman,  Delta State Polytechnic Governing Council, Solomon called on NDDC to prevail on the contractors handling the three major projects in the school, such as the 2-storey ICT Building, twin lecture theatre and on-going road at various stages of completion to return to site.

    In another development, representatives of major oil bearing communities of Owevwe, Opherin, Gana, Otokutu, Saniko, Agbaide and Ughere in Agbarha-Otor in Ughelli North Local Government Area, led by Mr Ikpere Clement also visited the NDDC Headquarters.

    Clement said their visit was to protest the deplorable condition of road projects  abandoned in their communities.

    Ekere commended them for not taking the law into their hands by shutting down the oil flow station.

    He also assured the group that the Commission would prevail on the contractor to return to site as quickly as possible to ameliorate the suffering of the people and boost the economic   potential of the various communities.