When the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was established by the Obasanjo administration on June 5, 2000, it was aimed at improving enhancing economic development using the region’s resources to create economic prosperity, social stability and improve the social well-being of the people. It also aimed at protecting the region’s environment as well as addressing ecological issues and preserving the region’s natural resources, among others. However, 25 years after, the Commission has not been able to meet most of these laudable goals due to certain factors which a stakeholders’ forum in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, tries to address. Associate Editor ADEKUNLE YUSUF reports
In keeping with the policy of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, which stresses the need to engage stakeholders to bolster development, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has continued to engage critical stakeholders to drive the development process in the region.
In one such engagement, the Commission organised a Stakeholders’ Interactive Forum on the Borikiri-Okrika Bridge project in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
The NDDC Executive Director of Finance and Administration, Alabo Boma Iyaye, appealed to stakeholders in the Niger Delta region to unite, shun politics and support the efforts of the Commission to develop Niger Delta communities.
He stressed the need for them to work in harmony with development agencies for the well-being of the people.
Iyaye said that the bridge project represented a significant initiative that would drive progress in Rivers State, noting that Borokiri and Okrika serve as crucial hubs in the oil and gas industry and play vital roles in the economic advancement of the Niger Delta region in particular and Nigeria in general.
He emphasised that people’s needs should precede political considerations and that development thrives in a peaceful environment.
Iyaye observed that the 3.65-kilometre Okrika-Borokiri Road with three bridges, which will connect Kolabi, Abotoru and Okpoka creeks to Port Harcourt, would provide many benefits to the people, as it would connect several communities to the Rivers State capital.
He said that when completed, the road would reduce traffic congestion on the refinery axis of the East-West Road, even as it will provide an alternate route to Okrika.
The road would also significantly impact the communities by connecting Okrika Island to Port Harcourt, potentially boosting local trade, reducing travel time and improving access to services for residents.
“For us to succeed, we need everybody’s cooperation. We need the cooperation of the traditional institutions, the state governments and the youth,” he said.
Continuing, Iyaye said: “Although this project was awarded in 2012, it has faced delays for various reasons. Upon the inauguration of the current NDDC Board, we prioritised completing this significant project, viewing it as a legacy initiative alongside the Kaa-Ataba Bridge linking Khana and Andoni local government areas in Rivers State.”
He told the stakeholders that the Kaa-Ataba Bridge project was progressing satisfactorily, noting that the contractors handling the project had assured that cars would be able to pass through it before the end of the year.
The Executive Director observed that some NDDC key projects were delayed because the Commission did not have an approved budget for the past four years.
“However, the President recognised the need for funding and approved the 2024 NDDC budget, which now includes financial provisions for this legacy project.
“Before proceeding with the project, we felt it was necessary to hold this interactive session, which is essential for fostering cooperation and creating a supportive environment for the contractors to ensure timely completion,” he said.
Iyaye called on the benefiting communities to cooperate with the contractors handling the projects.
Iyaye said: “For us in the Commission, we believe this project must be completed. This project was started by other successive administrations of the NDDC in 2012. Unfortunately, the project was stalled for many years.
“By the grace of God, upon the coming of President Tinubu, the project is now part and parcel of the 2024 NDDC budget. Therefore, now is the right time to start this project.
“So, we felt that we cannot just restate this project without watering the ground. It will be unfair for the owners to suddenly see contractors on site without speaking to them. That is why we organised this interactive forum. With this, you will be aware that this project is coming back and be prepared to give the contractor the necessary cooperation to ensure that the project is completed in record time.”
The Amayanabo of Kirike Kingdom, Okrika, King Tamuno-Omisiki Opuiyo thanked the NDDC for organising the stakeholders’ engagement and assured that the communities in his domain would cooperate with the Commission to ensure the project’s timely completion.
He noted: “We should not allow our political differences to hinder development. We assure NDDC of our support and appeal to the Commission to engage a reliable and capable contractor to handle the projects.”
In a similar manner, the Amanyanabo of Bolo Kingdom, King Micah Acheseinimie Frank, advised the people of the Niger Delta to desist from mixing politics with development, stating: “We will ensure that this project is executed to the letter.”
The traditional ruler also urged the NDDC to expedite action on some stalled projects in his kingdom, adding that on completion, the projects would enhance economic and human capital development in the area.
The representative of Okrika in the Rivers State House of Assembly, Linda Somiari thanked President Tinubu for renewing the Okrika people’s hope by supporting the NDDC in delivering on its mandate.
The lawmaker observed that things were beginning to change in the way NDDC was tackling the development challenges in the Niger Delta region, noting that the Commission’s consultative approach to management was commendable.
She said: “We commend the NDDC for initiating a fresh era in the region. We urge you to sustain this laudable effort.”
Sampson Parker, a former Commissioner for Health in Rivers State, who spoke on behalf of other stakeholders, thanked President Tinubu and the NDDC for reviving the Okrika-Borikiri Bridge project.
He said: “The bridge project represents a vision that will act as a catalyst for the socio-economic revitalisation of the communities. Let’s support President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope initiative, which the NDDC, under Samuel Ogbuku’s leadership, is actively working to implement.”
The Niger Delta stakeholders have since resolved that the best option for facilitating regional development is for all concerned parties to work together as partners.
It is not surprising; therefore, that one of the cardinal policies of President Tinubu’s administration is stakeholders’ engagement. This policy thrust has spurred the NDDC to step up its efforts in collaborating with various stakeholders, including the state governments, to end the era of project duplication and enhance the harmonious relationship among the development partners.
To make things happen as quickly as expected, development agencies, such as the oil companies, the federal, state, and local governments, the Ministry of Regional Development and the NDDC must collaborate at different levels to drive the development process.
The socio-economic transformation of the Niger Delta region is too complex to be left for only one or two agencies of development. Undoing the damages wrought by decades of neglect and injustice requires partnership and synergy. The NDDC Act recognises this fact and has defined the NDDC as a facilitator for the development process that involves a combination of all relevant regional stakeholders.
Acknowledging this inclusive strategy, the NDDC organised a Niger Delta Stakeholders’ Summit in July 2024 to articulate new strategies for driving the development of the Niger Delta region.
After the historic summit, the Commission had been meeting with various groups, including youth bodies, women organisations, the traditional institution and professional bodies.
The NDDC long recognised the need for a coordinated response to the challenges of the oil-rich region, which informed the establishment of a clearing house called the Partners for Sustainable Development (PSD) Forum.
This important organ brings together representatives of federal and state governments of oil-bearing states, youth and women leaders, traditional rulers, the organised private sector, civil society, the mass media and international development agencies such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Bank. The PSD Forum has remained a platform for ensuring that the developmental activities across agencies and project providers in the Niger Delta are synchronised.
