Yesterday, President Bola Tinubu’s re-appointment of Chief Samuel Ogbuku as Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was praised by Niger Delta elders and groups.
They also called for increased job opportunities and accelerated infrastructure development in all states of the region. The elders emphasized that the NDDC should focus on substantial development rather than constructing toilets in the NDDC states.
They urged the reappointed MD to continue his efforts towards real development. During a briefing in Abuja, former spokesperson of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Anab Sara-Igbe, speaking on behalf of the elders, expressed the expectation that the NDDC should construct bridges to connect the states. The briefing was organized by a coalition of Niger Delta groups, including NDCAAG, AWAN, MOSMPC, CPCC, SSCA, NDNAF, IYC Abuja/Northern Nigeria Chapter, SPF, Ijaw Wari Worldwide, and PYLF-ND. Sara-Igbe also highlighted the need for investment and the revival of production in the region to create employment opportunities, considering that the oil and gas industry has adversely affected traditional occupations such as fishing and farming. Wisdom Ikuli, convener of the coalition and leader of the Niger Delta Non-violence Agitators, commended Tinubu’s re-appointment of Ogbuku, stating that it brought a sense of belonging to the region. Ikuli acknowledged Ogbuku’s contributions to peace and security in the Niger Delta and stressed the importance of sustaining them.
Furthermore, he highlighted the underdevelopment of Ogbia Local Government Area in Bayelsa State, despite it being the place where oil and gas were first discovered in commercial quantity and quality in 1956. Ikuli expressed the coalition’s confidence in Ogbuku’s leadership and urged him to remain focused on changing the negative perceptions about the region and the commission.
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