Tag: NDDC

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has called on security agencies operating in the Niger Delta region to stop economic saboteurs from destroying the assets and infrastructures in Nigeria’s oil-rich region.

The NDDC managing director, Samuel Ogbuku, spoke during two separate courtesy visits by the Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police, Alonyenu Idu, and the Commander, Joint Task Force (JTF) south-south, Operation Delta Safe, Rear Admiral John Okeke, at the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt.

Ogbuku commended the Bayelsa State Police Command for deploying modern technology in fighting crime and advised the security agencies to expand the scope of their operations to include protecting development projects executed by the NDDC.

Ogbuku said: “In addition to guarding our economic assets, it is important to also protect NDDC projects in remote communities. The Commission is providing electricity in the communities and we need the protection of those facilities because some criminals are vandalizing our power infrastructure.”

The NDDC boss in a statement signed by the commission’s Director, Corporate Affairs, Pius Ughakpoteni, said that the agency appreciated the services of the police to the society.

He said as an interventionist agency, the commission had a responsibility to make sure that those who protected the lives and property of the people were given the necessary backing to enhance their capacity to maintain security in the Niger Delta region.

He said: “Our core mandate is to bridge the developmental gaps in the Niger Delta region. We recognise the intrinsic link between security and development, which is why we have forged partnerships with security agencies. Peace is a prerequisite for development, and our collaboration with these agencies is crucial in achieving our goals.

“The ‘Light Up The Niger Delta’ through solar street lights has played a significant role in enhancing security in the Niger Delta region. The area has experienced a period of relative peace, thanks to the vigilance and intelligence efforts of the security agencies.

“The NDDC has always been at the fore in supporting the police. We have executed a lot of projects to support the police. Last year, we assisted the security agencies in Akwa Ibom and Rivers States in acquiring some security equipment.”

Read Also: Niger Delta leaders applaud NDDC for rural electrification, other projects

“If the region is peaceful, development will be rapid. I cannot fail to attest to the fact that the crime rate in Bayelsa state has reduced. I want to commend you for using technology to tackle crime in the Niger Delta and we are willing to partner with you, to assist you fight crime in the region.

Speaking earlier, the Commander, Joint Task Force south-south, Operation Delta Safe, Rear Admiral John Okeke, commended the NDDC for providing solar-powered streetlights in their operational base in Bayelsa State and appealed for more support in providing facilities to enhance their operations.

He thanked the NDDC for cooperating with security agencies working in the Niger Delta region to ensure peace.

He said: “We will continue to protect the territorial integrity of the country and all its national assets.

“The NDDC plays a crucial role in mitigating militancy in the Niger Delta region, while the Joint Task Force (JTF) has been instrumental in ensuring the safety of oil-producing communities and collaborating with International Oil Companies to achieve this goal.”

In his remarks, the Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police, Francis Idu, noted that the evolution of economic militancy in Bayelsa was a big challenge for the command in Bayelsa State.

He said: “The terrain is also a challenge and the economics of law enforcement is what we are dealing with. We have been able to do some crime mapping but we are constrained by inadequate funds. We are using digital technology to fight crime, and we need resources to achieve our goals.”

Idu appealed to the NDDC for assistance in acquiring more drones and upgrading some critical facilities for the police command.

Leaders of ethnic nationalities, professional bodies, and critical stakeholders from the Niger Delta region have applauded the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), for its massive electrification of rural communities through the Light Up the Niger Delta project.

The national chairman of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Senator Emmanuel Ibok-Essien, gave the plaudits when he led leaders of various groups to meet with the NDDC management team at the commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt.

Present at the interactive session were the NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku; the Commission’s Executive Director Finance and Administration, Alabo Boma Iyaye; the Executive Director of projects, Sir Victor Antai; the Executive Director Corporate Services,  Ifedayo Abegunde; Representative of Rivers State on the NDDC Board, Chief Tony Okocha, as well as other directors of the commission.

In an address read on behalf of the visiting delegation, Senator Ibok-Essien said that the leaders were delighted by the efforts of the NDDC to light up communities across the Niger Delta states, noting that it would help in fighting criminality in the region.

The leaders said: “The rural electrification projects have not only enhanced the aesthetics of these areas but also contributed to reducing nocturnal security challenges. We encourage the Commission to extend this initiative to all communities and ensure the training of local manpower for the effective maintenance of these facilities.

“We also appreciate the Commission’s efforts in road construction and rehabilitation, as well as human resources development through educational scholarships, women and youth development programmes, vocational and skills acquisition initiatives.”

“We are glad to note the successes you have recorded, such as your Memorandum of Understanding with the Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas Limited, NLNG, on shared aspirations and that on corporate governance with KPMG. We do hope to see that these interactions and engagements will generate positive fruits of development soonest.”

Read Also: EastWest road mayhem: NDDC to distribute cash, palliatives to victims

Addressing the Niger Delta leaders, the NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Ogbuku in a statement signed by the commission’s Director, Corporate Affairs, Pius Ughakpoteni, announced that the commission would hold a Niger Delta Stakeholders’ Summit in July to articulate new strategies for driving the development of the region.

He said: “One of the cardinal policies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is stakeholders’ engagement and that is one area the NDDC is doing very well and we are getting good results from it.”

He appraised the benefits of the “Light Up the Niger Delta” campaign, which he observed had reduced criminality in the various communities and enhanced commercial activities in the areas.

He said: “We decided to adopt the clean energy approach which not only provides light but helps in the fight to mitigate the effects of climate change on our environment and earn carbon credits for the Commission.”

Ogbuku told the leaders that the NDDC had embraced a Triple-T Policy which represents, Transiting from Transaction to Transformation emphasising transparency and accountability.

He said, the commission was making progress with its youth development and empowerment scheme, known as Holistic Opportunities, Projects and Engagement, HOPE, which was building a comprehensive database of the youth population of the Niger Delta region.

He called on the youths of the Niger Delta region to ensure that they were registered on the website of Project HOPE, which would benefit all Niger Delta youths.

Ogbuku said: “We have also inaugurated the Niger Delta Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Trade, Mines and Agriculture, (NDCCITMA), which along with the Bank of Industry will serve as a platform for supporting young entrepreneurs in the region on a sustainable basis”.

Speaking on other programmes of the Commission, the NDDC boss said that the World Health Organisation (WHO), had agreed to partner with the NDDC to implement a Health Insurance Project, as well as other health programmes that would benefit the people of the Niger Delta region.

Ogbuku said: “The World Health Organisation is exploring collaborations with us on our health programmes, especially the free medical missions. The participation of WHO in our medical outreach programme will ensure that those vaccines that we don’t have access to, are procured through them for the benefit of our people.”

Authorities of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) have condoled with victims and families of a petrol tanker incident at Eleme axis of East-West road of Rivers State last week.

Five persons, including a pregnant woman were confirmed to have died in the Friday night fire.

At least 60 vehicles were officially confirmed to have burnt down, with properties worth millions of Naira destroyed.

Several persons also reportedly sustained various degrees of injuries, fire burnt during the incident, some are currently being treated in hospitals.

Chairman of the NDDC Board, Chiedu Ebie, a Lawyer yesterday  sent the commission’s condolences to the families of those who died in the event and sympathised with the others who were injured, and yet those who lost properties, vehicles, structures to fire.

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Speaking through the Representative of the State in the Board, Tony Okocha, the Board Chairman described those affected by the fire as circumstantial victims noting that many of them lost their only source of living, and worse are those who lost their lives to the “terrible” incident.

He expressed the commission’s deepest condolences to everyone who was affected.

Speaking further, the State Representative noted that the Commission has gone for on the spot inspection of the scene of accident, identified some of the victims and visited some of them in the hospital to condone and sympathise with them as directed by the Commission chairman ahead of the needful.

Meanwhile the NDDC State Representative has also inspected  a 100 seats capacity Nkpolu/Rumuigbo  Town Hall billed for to be rebuilt by the commission in line with its.

The Governing Board, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), has condoled with families and victims of the April 26 tanker fire incident along the Eleme section of the East-West road in Rivers.

Chief Tony Okocha,the Representative of Rivers State on the NDDC Board, expressed the commission’s condolences on Friday at a media briefing at the NDDC State office in Port Harcourt.

Okocha, on behalf of the Commission, commiserated with the victims of the tragedy that resulted in the loss of lives and property.

Read Also: Rivers tanker fire: NGF seeks safer mode of transportation for petroleum products

He prayed for speedy recovery of those injured and assured that NDDC would provide necessary assistance to ameliorate the effects of the incident on the victims.

Okocha, who is also the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Rivers, cautioned truck drivers, plying the route to the Eleme section of the East-West road to always drive with caution.

This, he said had become necessary, considering that the road was undergoing expeditious construction work.

Okocha also commended President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, for the quality and standard of job going on at the Eleme axis of the East-West road.

(NAN)

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has resumed its free medical mission in Oguta, Imo State, after a four-year hiatus, with a target of treating at least 3000 people.

The week-long programme, which kicked off at the weekend  at the Arthur Nzeribe General Hospital, aims to provide succour to people in the Niger Delta region who have little or no access to modern health facilities.

According to the NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, the programme had benefited over two million Niger Deltans since its inception in 2019, with cases ranging from minor consultations to major surgeries.

Represented by the Director of Education, Health and Social Services, Dr. George Uzonwanne, Ogbuku emphasized the importance of investing in healthcare to ensure sustainable development in the region.

“The first intervention until the free health mission was suspended in 2019, over two million Niger Deltans, who had little or no access to modern health facilities, were treated of all sorts of ailments,” he noted.

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He said these ranged from minimal consultations for things such as malaria or upper respiratory tract infections, to cogent cases such as fibroid surgeries, eye surgeries with intraocular lens implantation, dental surgeries, as well as maxillofacial repairs.

The managing director noted that the NDDCs’ mandate of facilitating sustainable development in the Niger Delta region must begin with ensuring that the social infrastructural needs of the people in areas of education, health, and sanitation must also be addressed.

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) says it needs abundant gas resources to fast-track the implementation of sustainable development projects and programmes for the Niger Delta.

Representative of Akwa Ibom State on the Governing Board of the Commission, Apostle Abasiandikan Nkono, said this during a courtesy visit to the Minister of Petroleum (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo at his NNPC Towers office.

The commissioner identified the ministry’s collaboration with NDDC as one which would yield dividends for Akwa Ibom state, Niger Delta and Nigeria.

He suggested that for NDDC’s quest to uplift the Niger Delta above poverty and unrest to be achieved, natural resources such as gas deposits must be harnessed and channeled into the empowerment of the people and development of the region.

“As you know, the Niger Delta is very rich in gas deposits. On behalf of the Chairman, Governing Board, and the Managing Director, I stand to say that NDDC wants a very solid partnership so that such untapped areas can be utilized.”

Read Also: Firm, NDDC line up experts for Port Harcourt Tech Expo 2024

Briefing the minister that the current NDDC dispensation has implemented various intervention programmes and projects, especially in education, skill acquisition, economic empowerment, healthcare, provision of solar power, and other infrastructure projects, Nkono pledged that his office, under the guidance of the NDDC head office in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, will cooperate with the ministry in areas of mutual responsibilities and tasks.

The minister noted that he and his ministry understand that investing in power generation and development means investing in the present and future of the Niger Delta.

According to him, power generation is a cornerstone of development, and gas being one of the primary drivers in the power sector has to be properly harnessed and utilized in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu presidency.

He said: “This ministry is ready and willing to partner with the NDDC in the area of power generation. Today, we drive power with gas.

“If you institute such projects across the Niger Delta States, it would help to address the issue of power supply.

“If we fix power in this country, so many of the ailing industries would spring back to life and some of the industries that relocated from Nigeria would come back, and this would translate into generating more employment opportunities and reduction of crime.”

He congratulated Apostle Nkono on his appointment and implored him not to derail from offering an excellent service in the Commission.

The NDDC State Rep, on his part, promised to report back to the Commission.

In the Commissioner’s entourage were a Director and Assistant Director in the Commission, Engr. Evong Evong and Mrs Ndifreke Essien.

Senior members of Staff in the Ministry and aides of the Honourable Minister were also in attendance.

Experts in the technology sector have indicated interests to speak at the Port Harcourt Tech Expo 2024 organized by the Tech Nexus Limited in collaboration with the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Tech Nexus Limited, Belema George, said in a statement on Wednesday that the event scheduled to hold in Port Harcourt from April 24th to 26th would be a catalyst for innovation and technological advancement in the Southsouth region.

George said with the NDDC as the main sponsor, the event underscored the commitment to fostering technological growth and development in the region.

He said the experts from various corners of the tech world would grace the event to share their insights and expertise with attendees.

George named notable speakers for the expo as Dr. Maurice Dawson from the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, USA; Dr. Tombari Sibe of Digital Footprints Ltd; Gbolabo Awelewa of Cybervent Ltd; Dr. Jimson Olufuye of the Africa ICT Alliance (AfICTA); Ross Alabo George of Proxy Logics Ltd and Eddy Datubo of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) among others.

He said: “Additionally, representatives from tech giants like Microsoft will also be present to add their voices to the conversation on innovation and digital transformation.

“The Port Harcourt Tech Expo 2024 will serve as a platform for networking, knowledge sharing, and collaboration among tech enthusiasts, industry professionals, startups, and policymakers.

“Attendees can expect a diverse range of activities, including keynote speeches, panel discussions, workshops, product demonstrations, and networking sessions.

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“This expo comes at a crucial time when the importance of technology in driving economic growth and social development cannot be overstated. By bringing together key stakeholders in the tech industry, the Port Harcourt Tech Expo 2024 aims to inspire creativity, foster collaboration, and pave the way for a vibrant tech ecosystem in the Niger Delta.

“As the countdown begins to this landmark event, tech enthusiasts, entrepreneurs, and innovators are encouraged to mark their calendars and seize the opportunity to be part of this historic gathering. The Port Harcourt Tech Expo 2024 is set to be a pivotal moment in the journey towards a more innovative and technologically advanced Niger Delta”.