The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in Nigeria, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, has been nominated for the Public Servant of the Year Award in recognition of his efforts to foster peace and drive development across the Niger Delta region.
The announcement was made during a courtesy visit by the New Telegraph leadership team to the NDDC headquarters in Port-Harcourt, the state capital, where they formally presented the nomination to the Commission’s Chief Executive Officer.
Accepting the honour, Dr Ogbuku expressed gratitude for the recognition, noting that it reflects the collective achievements of the Commission under his leadership.
“We accept the award, and we say thank you for this recognition. This is not the first award we are receiving, as we have had several awards in areas of revolutionising and transforming the Niger Delta,” he stated.
He stressed that the progress recorded by the NDDC aligns with the development priorities of President Bola Tinubu. According to him, the Commission’s Board and Management remain guided by the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda, supported by the oversight of the Minister of Regional Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh and the National Assembly.
“Mr President has given us all we need to succeed,” he added.
Dr Ogbuku highlighted key achievements that influenced the nomination, including the Light-Up-the-Niger-Delta Project, the distribution of 45,000 U-Lesson tablets to schoolchildren, and extensive youth empowerment programmes.
He disclosed plans for a six-month training programme for 1,000 youths in Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) in Akwa Ibom State, the southern part of the country, with modalities currently being finalised.
“We are focused on the next chapter. We are taking roads and water to inaccessible communities in the region,” he said.
He emphasised that the award is not solely for the NDDC but acknowledges the support of the Presidency, the National Assembly, and stakeholders across the region.
“This honour and recognition are a charge to do more. We do not take it for granted,” he affirmed.
In his remarks, Mr Ayodele Aminu, Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of the New Telegraph, commended Ogbuku’s leadership, noting that the newspaper’s Board of Editors and Panel of Judges unanimously selected him for the award.
He cited Ogbuku’s strides in accountability, youth empowerment, the Light-Up-the-Niger-Delta initiative, and broad infrastructural development as major considerations.
The New Telegraph 2025 Awards Ceremony is scheduled to be held on February 13, 2026, in Lagos, where Dr Ogbuku will be formally honoured.