Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) are exploring areas of mutual cooperation in the provision of affordable housing for the Niger Delta region.
This was the outcome of the meeting between the Managing Director of the NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku and the Housing Minister, Ahmed Musa Dangiwa.
The NDDC boss in a courtesy visit to the Minister of Housing and Urban Development to discuss areas of common interest between the two government agencies.
Some of the key aspects of the NDDC mandates include: infrastructure development; human capital development, environmental management, master planning and social welfare for the citizens of the region.
In his remarks, Minister Dangiwa highlighted the importance of the NDDC as a critical intervention institution in Nigeria, serving communities for nearly 25 years and contributing to the country’s economic lifeblood.
“Your ongoing reforms to complete abandoned projects, improve transparency, and strengthen governance are truly commendable, they embody the results-oriented, accountable, and people-focused service that this administration expects from every federal agency, he added.
The Minister noted that the both institutions shared a common vision of improving living conditions through housing, infrastructure, and sustainable community development.
He said, “While your mandate focuses on the Niger Delta region, our Ministry provides the national frameworks and standards that can help amplify your impact”.
Dangiwa told the MD that, the Ministry, under the first phase of Renewed Hope Housing Programme is currently constructing three housing estates comprising 250-unit each in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Warri in Delta State and in Bende, Abia State, in the Niger Delta region.
“Across the country, we are currently implementing the first phase of the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates programme with 17 active construction sites, delivering a total of over 10000 units nationwide”, Dangiwa stated.
Accordingly, he informed that Port Harcourt, Rivers state, was in view as one of the next sites for a Renewed Hope City, as part of the Ministry’s multi-city rollout; according to him, “this city will adopt the same integrated model we are building in Abuja, Kano, and Lagos states”.
The Minister further highlighted possible areas for collaboration between the two parties to include; co-developing affordable, climate-resilient housing prototypes, tailored to the unique terrain of the Niger Delta communities, aligning NDDC’s community infrastructure projects with the National Urban Renewal and Slum Upgrade Programme.
Others are joint training and certification of Niger Delta youths in construction-related trades through the National Artisan Skills Acquisition Programme, joint land administration and spatial planning support to promote organized and resilient settlements in NDDC community development projects, among others.
The Minister assured the NDDC boss of the readiness of the Ministry to support the regional commission in its quest of providing affordable and decent housing for its citizens in fulfilment of part of its mandate.
Earlier In his remarks, the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, infomed that the purpose of their visit was to explore partnership opportunities especially in housing schemes to achieve the government’s Renewed Hope Housing agenda, for the people of the Niger Delta.
He highlighted the importance of partnerships, particularly inter agency collaborations, stating that they make projects faster and cheaper.
While emphasizing on the role of effective mortgage systems in reducing corruption by providing affordable housing options, the MD acknowledged the presence of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) in the meeting, saying that creating subsidies will make mass housing more affordable.
Ogbuku further expressed the commitment of his team to collaborate with the Ministry to achieve the government’s housing goals.
The Executive Director, Business Development and Portfolio Management, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, Mrs. Chinyere Chinedu Anosike, commended the MD of the NDDC for his contributions at the commission so far.
She noted that the bank has many projects in the Niger Delta area, and expressed their readiness to collaborate with the NDDC on the projects.
“We in the Ministry are keen to explore areas of mutual cooperation with the NDDC, especially in the provision of mass and social housing, urban regeneration, and sustainable settlement planning within the Niger Delta region”, he stated.
Delivering the keynote address at the 2025 Legal Services Directorate retreat recently in Lagos, Managing Partner at S.P.A. Ajibade & Co., Dr. Babatunde Ajibade, emphasised the need for legal officers to view the region’s communities as their primary clients.
“The legal department must always put the client first,” Ajibade stated. “In this case, that client is the Niger Delta community. Every legal decision should be guided by the welfare of the people.”
The retreat, themed “Exploring Innovation for Effective Legal Service Delivery in the Public Service,” provided a platform to address the evolving role of legal services in public sector development.
Ajibade highlighted the NDDC’s core mandate of fostering development in the Niger Delta and underscored the legal directorate’s pivotal role in realising this mission.
He warned that inflexible legal practices, often driven by professional ego, could jeopardise the commission’s goals.
“Rigidity in legal approaches can sometimes undermine clients’ interests. We need more flexibility and a stronger client-centered mindset,” he said.
Ajibade also pointed to the wide-ranging legal implications of the Commission’s operations — from infrastructure projects to environmental protection. He warned that poor legal counsel could expose the NDDC to liabilities, delay projects, or result in incomplete contracts.
Speaking earlier, Director of Legal Services and Board Secretary of the NDDC, Sir Victor Arenyeka, explained that the retreat aimed to sharpen the legal team’s skills and enhance their advisory capacity.
“We are essentially a service department. This retreat is about building expertise and strengthening our ability to support the commission’s work. We are like the policemen of the commission, enforcing the rules and ensuring that development can take place within a lawful framework”, Arenyeka said.
Managing Partner of Liberty Associates, Dr. Innih Archibong also addressed the gathering, calling for reforms in Nigeria’s legal system to formally recognise the role of paralegals.
“A paralegal is like the first responder in the legal system,” he explained. “They inform people about their rights, offer initial legal advice, assist in litigation, and help settle disputes through mediation and advocacy.”
Archibong described the legal department as the “ethical and legal nerve centre” of any organisation, noting that both lawyers and paralegals are vital to maintaining compliance, drafting agreements, managing legal risks, and protecting institutional interests.
He stressed that broadening access to justice in Nigeria would require fully integrating paralegals into the legal service ecosystem.
Experts have called on staff of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to embrace innovation, uphold ethical standards, and shun corrupt practices as part of efforts to improve service delivery and strengthen public trust in the agency.
They spoke in Lagos recently during a retreat organised by the NDDC’s Corporate Governance and Due Process Department, with the theme, ‘Enhancing Capacity for Impactful Corporate Governance and Effective Service Delivery.’
Speaking on the topic ‘Innovating Corporate Services for Impact: Building a Regenerative Legacy,’ business analyst Seyi Olulade urged corporate service executives to leverage technology and data-driven strategies to enhance operational efficiency.
“Every workflow redesigned, reform anchored, and staff member supported is a seed of legacy,” he said. “The call to action is simple yet profound: Lead with legacy in mind. Do not ask only what Corporate Services can deliver today, but what will endure because we were here.”
Olulade emphasised that compliance alone was not enough to sustain institutional legacy, stressing that innovation must drive accountability and excellence.
This commitment was made during a knowledge exchange session held on Tuesday at the Nigerian Content Tower (NCT), Swali, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. The meeting brought together senior management staff of both agencies.
Speaking on behalf of the Executive Secretary, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, the Director of Corporate Services, Abdulmalik Halilu, highlighted the value of periodic inter-agency peer reviews to identify weaknesses and improve institutional processes.
Ogbe commended NDDC’s recognition of NCDMB as a model for effective governance, describing the engagement as a “two-way traffic” where both institutions could share insights and learn from each other.
“Let us compare notes and adopt what works,” he said, stressing that such sessions strengthen the service delivery framework for all stakeholders — the government, citizens, host communities, and industry players.
He further explained that NCDMB’s governance system includes an Anti-Corruption Unit and multiple automated processes across human resources and management systems, developed through continuous improvement reviews.
Highlighting areas of potential collaboration, Ogbe pointed to the Oloibiri Oil and Gas Museum and Research Centre as one project requiring joint support from both agencies, following NDDC’s earlier commitment at its 2023 groundbreaking.
He also showcased NCDMB’s Community Content Guideline and the Back-to-the-Creeks Initiative, both designed to empower youths in oil-producing communities through skills development, entrepreneurship, and educational support.
“The more we invest in young talents in host communities, the more they become active participants in the oil and gas value chain,” Ogbe noted.
Responding, NDDC’s Director of Corporate Governance, Anele Stephen Nzelaw, commended NCDMB’s achievements within just 15 years of existence, citing its world-class fabrication yards and human capital initiatives. He said NDDC, now 25 years old, was repositioning for strategic transformation rather than transactional operations.
“We are developing a new governance framework with KPMG to ensure continuity, accountability, and sustainability,” Nzelaw revealed, adding that NCDMB’s internal systems and transparency standards would serve as a guide.
The session featured detailed presentations from NCDMB officials, including Zuwairat Azekome on governance frameworks, Ms. Onajero Osiebe on organisational discipline, Ms. Seleke-Ere Owoupele on service delivery, and Ms. Mercy Azibayam Egba on internal audit systems.
The visit concluded with a guided tour of the Nigerian Content Tower, showcasing its Technology Innovation and Incubation Centre and the 1,000-capacity Conference Centre.
The Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC) has presented award letters to 600 successful candidates for its 2025/2026 Local Post Graduate Scholarship Programme
Presenting the scholarship letters to the successful candidates during the award ceremony in Port Harcourt, the NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, said that the scholarship programme was an initiative designed to enhance human capital development in the Niger Delta region.
Ogbuku, who was supported by the Executive Director of Corporate Services, Ifedayo Abegunde; the Representative of Bayelsa State on the NDDC Board, Senator Dimaro Denyanbofa and other directors of the commission, urged the awardees to be good ambassadors of the Niger Delta region.
Ogbuku in a statement by the commission’s Corporate Affairs Director, Seledi Thompson-Wakama described the scholarship scheme as an essential component of the NDDC’s human capital development programme.
He noted that education was the most powerful weapon for changing the fortunes of the Niger Delta region.
He observed that previous beneficiaries of the scholarship programme set enviable standards for subsequent groups.
He said: “It is remarkable that 32 of our scholars graduated with distinction in Coventry University this year.”
Ogbuku advised the NDDC scholars to avoid distractions to excel in their studies, reminding them that they owed the Niger Delta a duty to succeed.
He said: “You are the torchbearers of transformation. Your education is not just for you but for the millions who look up to you for hope. As you pursue your postgraduate studies, remember that every lecture you attend, every paper you write, and every solution you provide is a step towards transforming our communities.”
In his remarks, the NDDC Director of Education, Health and Social Services, Dr George Uzowanne, disclosed that out of 46,240 applicants, only 600 were selected through a transparent electronic examination process.
He said: “I congratulate the successful candidates who applied and went through a seamless selection process.”
Uzonwanne, said that the process of selecting the candidates was transparent, noting that competition for the Scholarship programme was intense and fair.
He said: “Through initiatives like the NDDC Local Scholarship Programme, we are investing in the minds that will shape the Niger Delta’s tomorrow. By equipping our youth with advanced knowledge in fields like engineering, environmental sciences, technology, humanities and management sciences, we empower them to tackle our region’s unique challenges.”
The NDDC Director of Education, Dr Angela Chukwudifu, observed that the new scholarship programme emphasised on local education to ensure that beneficiaries remained connected to the Niger Delta’s challenges and opportunities, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility.
She said: “Through initiatives like the NDDC Local Scholarship Programme, we are investing in the minds that will shape the Niger Delta’s tomorrow.
“By equipping our youth with advanced knowledge in fields like engineering, environmental sciences, technology, humanities and management sciences, we empower them to tackle our region’s unique challenges.”
The best performing scholarship candidate, Mr. Reginald Omubo-Pepple,commended the commission for giving them the opportunity to enhance their education.
He pledged that the beneficiaries would do their best to be good ambassadors for the region and subsequently contribute to the development of the Niger Delta.
Legal professionals within the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) have been urged to place the interests of the Niger Delta people at the centre of their work.
Delivering the keynote address at the 2025 Legal Services Directorate retreat held recently in Lagos, Managing Partner at S.P.A. Ajibade & Co., Dr. Babatunde Ajibade, SAN, stressed that legal officers must regard the region’s communities as their primary clients.
“The legal department must always put the client first,” Ajibade stated. “In this case, that client is the Niger Delta community. Every legal decision should be guided by the welfare of the people.”
The retreat, themed “Exploring Innovation for Effective Legal Service Delivery in the Public Service,” provided a platform to examine how legal professionals can drive efficiency and innovation in public sector governance.
Ajibade reaffirmed the NDDC’s core mandate of promoting development across the Niger Delta and highlighted the crucial role of its legal directorate in achieving this goal. He cautioned that rigid legal practices, often influenced by professional ego, could undermine the Commission’s mission.
“Rigidity in legal approaches can sometimes work against clients’ interests. We need more flexibility and a stronger client-centred mindset,” he advised.
He further noted the broad legal implications of the Commission’s activities — from infrastructure development to environmental management — warning that poor legal advice could expose the NDDC to liabilities, project delays, or incomplete contracts.
Earlier, the Director of Legal Services and Board Secretary of the NDDC, Sir Victor Arenyeka, said the retreat was designed to enhance the legal team’s competence and strengthen their advisory capacity in delivering on the Commission’s developmental objectives.
“We are essentially a service department. This retreat is about building expertise and strengthening our ability to support the commission’s work. We are like the policemen of the commission, enforcing the rules and ensuring that development can take place within a lawful framework”, Arenyeka said.
Managing Partner of Liberty Associates, Dr. Innih Archibong, also addressed the gathering, calling for reforms in Nigeria’s legal system to formally recognise the role of paralegals.
“A paralegal is like the first responder in the legal system,” he explained. “They inform people about their rights, offer initial legal advice, assist in litigation, and help settle disputes through mediation and advocacy.”
Archibong described the legal department as the “ethical and legal nerve centre” of any organisation, noting that both lawyers and paralegals are vital to maintaining compliance, drafting agreements, managing legal risks, and protecting institutional interests.
He stressed that broadening access to justice in Nigeria would require fully integrating paralegals into the legal service ecosystem.
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has handed over a fully furnished 10-room corps members’ lodge to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Ammasoma, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
Speaking during the inauguration, the NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, described the project as part of the Commission’s corporate social responsibility.
Ogbuku, who was represented by the NDDC Bayelsa Director, Godknows Alamieyeseigha, explained that the project was aimed at providing decent accommodation for corps members to enhance their effective service delivery to host communities.
The NDDC boss, in a statement signed by the commission’s Director, Corporate Communications, Seledi Thompson-Wakama, said that similar projects would also be replicated in other communities across the state and appealed to the corps members to continue being law-abiding citizens and ensure that the lodge was well-maintained.
The state coordinator of the NYSC in Bayelsa State, Mrs. Obiageli Okpalifo, appreciated the NDDC for constructing a lodge for corps members in the community and appealed for the construction of a solar-powered water borehole at the NYSC Orientation Camp, as well as the provision of security at the corps members’ lodge.
Okpalifo, who led the NYSC management team and corps members to witness the event, expressed gratitude to the NDDC for embarking on such a landmark project.
She noted that the lodge would motivate corps members to deliver improved service to their host communities.
The state coordinator also conveyed the appreciation of the NYSC Director-General, Brig.- Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, to the NDDC management and assured them that the facility would be properly maintained.
She thanked the host community for providing a peaceful environment for the project, while urging the traditional ruler, the youth leaders, and the Police to ensure maximum security for both the lodge and the corps members.
In his remarks, the Traditional Ruler of Ammasoma Kingdom, Chief Akedesuo Goodwill, expressed appreciation to the NDDC for completing the project and appealed to the corps members to ensure the facilities were well-maintained.
The Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC) has advocated alternative dispute resolution in promoting peaceful, transparency, accountability, and integrity in the workplace.
The Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, spoke during a sensitisation programme with the theme: “Promoting transparency and due process in the workplace: Deploying Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Approaches in Building a Culture of Accountability and Integrity” organised by the Commission’s Department of Dispute and Conflict Resolution in Port Harcourt.
Ogbuku, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Rev. Julius Oworibo, said: “I am impressed by the quality and timeliness of this programme. ADR is a critical tool in achieving a lot in the Commission. Transparency entails being open about how decisions are made in the workplace.
“Through due process, the rights of staff are protected and trust is fostered in the Commission. The ADR mechanisms can be used to reduce tension in the workplace. These mechanisms include mediation and facilitation, amongst others.
“Over time, this approach fosters a workplace where integrity, fairness, and trust are the norm and are at the forefront of fulfilling our mandate in the region. Employees begin to trust that issues are handled openly and fairly. Do not forget that we are a team.
“To make a difference, fairness must be established across the board. ADR is not just about solving problems; it is ensuring that these are a part of our everyday work life,” he noted.
I NDDC’s Acting Director of Dispute and Conflict Resolution, Godwin Ogedegbe, reiterated that alternative dispute resolution was critical to achieving the Commission’s vision.
He said: “The theme of this programme captures the core of what we seek to achieve in our Commission: a workplace where every action is expected to be guided by openness, fairness, and a steadfast commitment to due process.
“Where conflicts are not merely resolved, but prevented through structured, principled processes; and where accountability and integrity are not aspirational ideals but everyday practice.”
Founder of the Centre for Constitutionalism and Demilitarisation (CENCOD), Professor Sylvester Odion-Akhaine, underlined the importance of due process in the workplace.
He added: “The importance of due process, transparency, integrity, and accountability in the workplace cannot be overemphasised. It is healthy for productivity and achievement of organisational goals.
“For workplace ethics to blossom, it requires ethical leadership that leads by example and employees with work engagement character who are not afraid to communicate honest advice to management.”
The Director, Centre for Politics, University of Port Harcourt, Professor Fidelis Allen, highlighted the effectiveness of ADR while speaking on the subtheme: “Strengthening Organisational Governance for Transparency and Accountability: Integrating Alternative Dispute Resolution in Workplace Conflict Management.”
“ADR enhances transparent and accountable governance within organisations by promoting open dialogue, fostering a culture of responsibility, and implementing accountability protocols.
“These approaches ensure that disputes are resolved efficiently and equitably, with mutually agreed-upon outcomes that are more likely to be adhered to by all parties involved,” he noted.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Dispute Resolution Academy, Dr Olugbenga Gbarada, in his presentation subthemed “Promoting Ethical Standards and Institutional Integrity,” noted that institutions such as the NDDC should uphold fairness by building strong systems.
He said that leaders would foster trust through ethical conduct if they created the foundation for ADR to “become a bridge toward inclusive governance, ethical decision-making, and lasting peace.”
Women lose babies travelling to seek medical help for offsprings
Lack of personnel, equipment, cripple multi-million naira NDDC cottage hospital in community
The land of Otuabagi, an agrarian community in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State from where Nigeria first extracted and exported crude oil in commercial quantity, has turned to a sepulchre where tender bodies of deceased children fertilise the soil. On account of the inoperable state of the cottage hospital built by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), women in the community are compelled to travel long distances to get medical care for their sick children. Unfortunately, many of them lose their children before getting to the hospital, INNOCENT DURU reports.
Mrs Chiudo Ndubueze, a native of Abia State resident in Otuabagi, a suburb of Bayelsa State, was highly elated when she became pregnant sometime last year. It was her first pregnancy since she got married to her husband who was also delighted when she broke the news to him.
As the expected delivery date approached, the husband, Mr Ndubueze, spent time caressing her stomach and gladly watched the baby kick and move around the mother’s womb. “That’s my baby. He’ll surely take after me,” Ndubueze would tease the wife as he looked forward to the joy of fatherhood.
His dream came into reality on July 6 this year as the wife went into labour and was safely delivered of a baby boy. “Unfortunately,” Ndubueze said, “the baby died a few hours after delivery.”
The wife was too devastated to speak when our correspondent asked her to share her experience. But the husband, although yet to overcome the grief caused by the loss of their baby, summoned courage to relive the heartrending experience.
His words: “My wife gave birth, and shortly after she was delivered of the baby, it was observed that the baby was not breathing very well. The woman that heads the primary health centre here took delivery of the baby.
Ndubueze said after the challenge was noticed, the baby was referred to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Yenagoa; about one-hour drive.
“When we were referred to Yenagoa, I asked the woman if the baby could survive travelling from Otuabagi to Yenagoa. Yet we had no choice but to follow the instruction.
“My fears were later confirmed as the baby died on the way to Yenagoa.”
Continuing, he said: “The medical officer we met at the hospital in Yenagoa still tried to use a pump-like equipment on the baby to see if she could revive him, but it was too late. She pumped and pumped to revive him to no avail.
“She later told us that the distance and stress from Otuabagi to Yenagoa compounded the baby’s health challenge. She said if they had used the equipment on the baby immediately the challenge was observed, it would have been revived.
“Unfortunately, the deceased baby was our first child.”
Ndubueze’s frustration is amplified by the fact that the massive cottage hospital in the community, which could have saved the baby’s life, is not functional.
Our findings revealed that the hospital was built by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). NDDC is a federal government agency established by former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo in 2000, with the sole mandate of developing the oil-rich Niger Delta region of Nigeria.
Some parts of the building are dilapidated. The female ward appears worse hit by the abandonment. Rain, sipping in from the leaking roof and ceiling has defaced part of the wall.
A basin placed in the ward was filled with brownish rain water coming from the roof. The ambulance donated by the NDDC is also grounded. The gigantic investment could best be described as a massive waste that forces tears out of residents’ eyes.
“If the hospital was functional, we would not have needed to travel to Yenagoa and my child would not have died,” Ndubueze said agonisingly.
With the distress caused by the baby’s death, Ndubueze said:
“The next time she gets pregnant, I will not allow her to give birth here. Never! God forbid that I allow her to give birth in this community again. I will never take that risk.
“I will do everything possible to make sure she goes to where she can have easy access to medical care the next time she gets pregnant. It is not easy for a woman to carry a pregnancy for nine months only to lose the baby at the end of the day.”
The bereaved man recalled that his wife never went to the clinic for post natal treatment. “She was seriously discouraged. It was our female relations that came to use hot water to massage her body.”
The disaster powered by the moribund Cottage Hospital had earlier been suffered by Doris, a native of the embattled community. “I lost my baby last year,” she said, struggling to relive her ordeal. “The child was over a year old when he died. He fell ill, and as we were making efforts to rush him to a hospital outside the community, the baby died.”
Doris said the challenge that claimed the child’s life happened in the dead of the night. “We hurriedly chartered a tricycle to take him to Kolo for proper medical attention but the baby died as we were driving to Kolo.”
Kolo, like Yenagoa, is far from Otuabagi. The horrible state of the road makes movement very hectic and tiring.
Asked how much she paid to go to Kolo, Doris said: “The tricycle driver charged N5,000 just to take us to Kolo. And we agreed because saving our baby’s life was more important than the financial demand. So, going to Kolo and coming back would be N10,000 when a tricycle is chartered. The road is really bad.”
Doris said prior to the time she gave birth to the deceased baby, “I used to travel to Kolo for ante-natal. I used to ride in public bus when going for ante-natal. Going and coming used to cost me N2,000.
“Members of the community who don’t have money to transport themselves to Kolo don’t go for ante-natal. They don’t see doctors at all throughout their pregnancy.”
Asked why the baby was not taken to the Cottage Hospital, Doris retorted: “There is nobody there to attend to patients. We are very sad that the cottage hospital is not functional.
“The despicable state of the hospital is really affecting us. The government should come and fix the hospital for us. The buildings are not okay.”
Baby dies in health worker’s womb
A health worker at the primary health centre in the community, Rejoice Raymond, gladly went to the clinic to give birth on April 6, this year, but the baby was found to have died in her womb.
Rejoice said: “My boss, a midwife at the health centre, was the one managing me when I was pregnant.
“I was seeing a doctor outside Otuabagi. I went to Kolo and Ogbia respectively for checks.
“I just had to travel that far to see doctors because the hospital here is not functioning.”
After the sad loss of her baby, Rejoice is scared of getting pregnant again.
“I won’t stay back here the next time I am pregnant. No, I can’t. I can’t-o.
“Incidentally, some other women in the community are not as privileged as I am to even step out of Otuabagi if they need to go and get medical help somewhere.
“As for me, I can’t stay here anymore during pregnancy. I will try not to even get pregnant for now till I move out of here.”
She also recalled how a friend of hers died with the pregnancy she was carrying, saying:
“In November last year, we lost one of my friends who was a month pregnant. I guess she had an ectopic pregnancy. Because the cottage hospital here in Otuabagi is not functional, we tried to get a vehicle to take her outside the community for treatment in Kolo. But she was declared dead on arrival when we got to the hospital.”
As a health worker and midwife, Rejoice said, “I take care of pregnant women too. Most of them are having challenges. I was a victim too.
“People go to the cottage hospital but there is always no one to attend to them there.
“I witnessed the case of one woman one day; last year to be precise.
“They were travelling when, from the bridge, we heard a cry in the vehicle conveying her. She was just shouting inside the vehicle.
“They were directed to the cottage hospital. When they got there, they opened their car and moved from room to room looking for somebody to attend to them. The woman ended up dying inside the vehicle.
“Had it been that someone was in the hospital when they drove in to seek help, the woman’s life might have been saved if there were health workers in the hospital on that day.”
With the Cottage Hospital not functional, Rejoice said, many pregnant women “are now going to traditional birth attendants who don’t have modern training regarding taking care of pregnant women. There are so many complications that can arise when they handle pregnant women.
“There are babies that come out without breathing. If nothing is done to help such babies, they can die within three minutes.
“There is an equipment we use to use to help babies breathe. When I handled one delivery sometime last year, I used it on the baby and she was revived.
“If it were at a traditional birth attendant’s place, the baby would have died. It would not have been possible for it to survive considering the situation it was in.”
Continuing, she said: “There are some other complications that arise too. When the cervix of a lady or a pregnant woman is not fully dilated and they forcibly ask her to push, because she is going through severe pain, the cervix will thicken itself thinking that the child would be in danger.
“It occurs naturally because that is how God made it. When the cervix thickens, no miracle can bring out the baby through the cervix. It has to be through an operation.
“Any delay may take the baby or even the mother’s life.”
Women relive ordeal losing two children each
It was a sad recall for another health worker in the community, Mrs Emmanuella Dennis. Asked about her ordeal, she was in tears as she recalled how she lost two children within a year.
“One of them only lived for two days before he died,” she said.
“When I gave birth to him at Kolo hospital, I was discharged and we went home without any issue.
“Two days later, he started having swollen and itchy eyes, so I took him back to the hospital in Kolo.
“Getting there, they referred me to a hospital in Ogolobri. The place is very far.
“When they referred us, I started looking for money to go there. It took a very long time before I got the money.
“When I eventually got it, it was too late and we lost him.”
Asked if she attended ante-natal care while pregnant, she said: “I was always travelling to Kolo for ante-natal care when I was carrying the pregnancy.
“It takes about 40 minutes to get to Kolo from here. It wasn’t easy travelling that far, especially as an expectant mother. But I had no alternative. There is nothing one can do than to embark on that journey.
“I lost my second child at FMC Yenagoa; even before we got to Yenagoa from here.”
Like other bereaved women in the community, he said “if the cottage hospital were functional, my babies could have been saved. If there is a functional hospital here, we can easily rush there for treatment.
“Most of my fellow women here have lost children. The government should help us.
“As I am talking to you, my four-year-old child is having itches in his private parts. I have taken him to the hospital, we ran tests and were given piriton to stop the itching.”
Also recalling her ordeal, Mrs Amangi, wife of a frontline chief in the community, said: “I lost two children in less than two years.”
Asked if the children were taken to the before they died, she swiftly responded: “Where is the hospital? There was no hospital here then. The only place we could get medical care was in Yenagoa or Port Harcourt.
“Before we would get to any of those places, we lost the children. We hadn’t even got anywhere when the children died.
“Before you move on the bad road from here to Yenagoa, if you are not lucky, you will lose the sick person. We are only living here by the grace of God.”
She regretted that “many women have continued to lose their children too.
“They said there is a hospital here, but when you get there, there is nothing happening. There is nothing in the hospital.”
Menace of under-five deaths not new in Bayelsa
Findings showed that death of children under five years is not new in Bayelsa State. In 2021, the government expressed worries over the alarming rate of under-five deaths from preventable causes.
The state’s former Commissioner for Health, Dr Pabara Newton Igwele, through his representative at a function, said about 3,500 newborns died from preventable causes in their first month of life in the state, noting that it was one of the highest in the South-South region.
He said: “In 2008 for instance, Bayelsa State had 64,000 babies delivered, out of which 3,500 died in their first month of life.
“At the time, Bayelsa had the highest under-5 mortality rate in the South-South of the country with 95 deaths per 1,000 live births.
“At present, when compared with the 2011 records, there has been a marked improvement on the number of under-5 mortality.
“Despite this, the decline in newborn mortality rate has been considerably low as newborn deaths still account for 31 per cent of the total child mortality.
“The percentage of deaths is becoming very embarrassing, and in the Southsouth, Bayelsa State is the worst and they die from preventable causes.”
The state claims it has been making delivery of medical supplies and consumables to hospitals and health centres in the hinterlands using drones.
Findings showed that the project took off in 2021 but none of such has been experienced by the people of Otuabagi.
We’ll provide answer when it is ready – NDDC
When our correspondent contacted the spokesperson of NDDC, Seledi Thompson Wakama penultimate Wednesday regarding the challenges faced by the people of Otuabagi, she said she would provide answers when she had the response.
Wakama said: “I can’t give you a time frame. I have to look for the information. I am even presently not in the office. I won’t even pick my call, but I just said no you are a public person, pick every call that comes to you.”
Further asked when the information would be provided, she retorted: “Am I in court or a tribunal? When I have the information, I will send it across to you.” She had yet to provide any response at press time.
Causes of under-five deaths –WHO
Explaining the causes of under-five deaths, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said “globally, infectious diseases, including pneumonia, diarrhoea and malaria, along with pre-term birth complications, birth asphyxia and trauma and congenital anomalies remain the leading causes of death for children under five years.“
The WHO noted that access to basic lifesaving interventions such as skilled delivery at birth, postnatal care, breastfeeding and adequate nutrition, vaccinations and treatment for common childhood diseases can save many young lives.
It added that “malnourished children, particularly those with severe acute malnutrition, have a higher risk of death from common childhood illnesses such as diarrhoea, pneumonia and malaria.
“Nutrition-related factors contribute to about 45% of deaths in children under five years of age.”
Bayelsa commissioner declines comment
Efforts to get the reaction of the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Health, Prof Seiefa Brisibie on what the government is doing about the predicament of the embattled people were unsuccessful. Messages sent to him via WhatsApp and text messages were not replied.
WhatsApp report showed that the message was delivered at 5:22 pm on Thursday and read by the commissioner but didn’t reply.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, has appealed to stakeholders in the region to continue sustaining peace, stressing that the commission cannot operate effectively in an atmosphere of violence.
Speaking in Port Harcourt at the opening of a three-day Capacity Building Programme for Niger Delta stakeholders on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and Inclusive Peace and Sustainable Development, Ogbuku said the prevailing peace had enabled the commission to execute and inaugurate projects across states in the region.
The event, themed “Fostering Lasting Peace Through ADR: Lessons from the Past, Building Future Opportunities to Advancing the Renewed Hope Agenda”, was organised by the NDDC’s Department of Dispute and Conflict Resolution (DCR).
Represented by his Chief of Staff, Rev. Julius Oworibo, Ogbuku emphasised that sustainable development in the Niger Delta could only be achieved in an environment of peace.
He urged communities to embrace dialogue instead of violence, noting that peace would allow development to spread across the region.
Ogbuku said, “Without peace, development will not come our way. Recently NDDC has been commissioning projects in different states of the religion.
“And that could be possible because of the peace that is being observed by the different people, different youth groups, women, elders in their communities.
“Without peace, things will not go forward. Today we are here to reinforce the saying that peace must be present, development will move forward.”
He said the days when people of the region insisted on protest were over, noting it was time to seek peace through dialogue and Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanisms.
He said: “This peace that has come to us, how do we sustain it? The days are over when we say “we no go agree”, at times, we have to agree. So, how do we resolve issues without taking eyes from others and without our eyes being removed by other people?
“When you think that you are strong, there could be someone who is stronger than you somewhere to say okay come, let’s see how it is like at times the people who you think are so quiet they are not strong enough can surprise you.
“So the best thing to do is to see how we can resolve issues peacefully. We argue over things, we dialogue here in NDDC. We now prefer people who can talk to us than threaten us. When people say they want to come and threaten us, we say let them come. We don’t have problems, people threaten us. But we rather talk to people who will come peacefully.”
The Acting Director, DCR, Godwin Ogedemgbe, noted that development could not thrive in a conflict environment, adding that the agenda of President Bola Tinubu on Renewed Hope was in line with the commission’s commitment to sustainable peace.
Ogedemgbe said the seminar provided opportunity for the participants to reflect on what had worked in bringing peace to the region and sustain same.
He said, “The theme calls us to reflect deeply on what has worked, what must be reinforced and how we can leverage ADR to translate policy intentions into tangible, peaceful and prosperous outcomes for communities that have borne the brunt of conflict for far too long.”
