Iquo Williams, Port Harcourt
The Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, says the Commission will continue to support security agencies to secure the waterways and boost the emerging blue economy in the country.
He was speaking during the 2025 Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association at Enugu’s International Conference Centre, South-East of the country.
According to Ogbuku, “The blue economy is central to the future of the Niger Delta region. It will strengthen our economy, lessen the burden of youth unemployment, improve food security, and support efforts to adapt to climate change.”
The NDDC boss, who led a team from the Commission, including the Executive Director of Finance and Administration, Alabo Iyaye, observed that the national policy on marine and blue economy would require the support of the security agencies to succeed.
He emphasised the need for collaboration to ensure that the Niger Delta region remained peaceful, noting that development could only take place in an atmosphere of peace and security.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is committed to the peace and development of the Niger Delta region, and he has given us a matching order to embark on legacy projects that will stand the test of time and impact lives in the region. We can not achieve this if there is no peace.
“For us in NDDC, we will continue to collaborate with the security agencies to ensure that there is sustainable peace that will usher in development. The security forces have made so many sacrifices to ensure the safety of the region, and we will complement their efforts by executing legacy projects,” he said.
The Managing Director affirmed that the Commission was engaging all stakeholders to ensure harmony and cooperation in the task of developing the hitherto neglected Niger Delta region
“We have always supported military formations and security agencies, and we are willing to do more. Last year, we did a lot for the Nigerian Navy, the Army, and the Police. Our contributions are aimed at enhancing and supporting what the security agencies are doing,” Ogbuku noted.
Speaking on the achievements of the commission in the last 25 years, he hinted that the frequent changes in management and boards of NDDC have caused setbacks to development in the region.
“For us at NDDC, we are targeting legacy projects. Our mandate is to complete those critical projects. We are intervening in critical areas because they are our responsibility,” he stated.
Ogbuku said that under the leadership of the current Board and Management, the Commission had demonstrated a commitment to achieving the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu, who is concerned about the development of the Niger Delta region.
The Managing Director affirmed the positive impact of the “Light Up the Niger Delta” campaign.
“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,” he said.
The NDDC Boss told the body of lawyers that the Commission was making progress with its various youth development and empowerment schemes, including building a comprehensive database of the youth population of the Niger Delta region.
“We have also inaugurated the Niger Delta Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Trade, Mines and Agriculture which, along with the Bank of Industry, will serve as a platform for supporting young entrepreneurs in the region on a sustainable basis,” Ogbuku added.
Intervening in the plenary session, an Executive Director at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Mr. Chudi Offodile commended the NDDC’s strategy of inter-agency collaboration in maintaining peace in the maritime environment.