NDDC

Port Harcourt, Sept.20, 2023: The Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr Samuel Ogbuku, has said that the commission was working to creating job opportunities for youths in the region.

Ogbuku said this while addressing the Chairman of Nigerian Young Professionals Forum(NYPF) and Convener of Niger Delta Young Professionals, Moses Siasia and members of his team during a meeting in his office in Port Harcourt.

He said that the commission had been repositioned to bring about the much needed growth and development to inspire hope in the region.

“The NDDC is now largely focusing on sustainable partnerships in manpower and infrastructural development, with a short, medium and long term plan,” he said.

Ogbuku said that the commission had floated an initiative tagged, ‘Project Hope’, as part of its strategic arrangement to create job opportunities for young people in the Niger Delta.

He explained that Project Hope would focus on agriculture and tech hubs for young people, with the deliberate aim of providing sustainable means of livelihood for them.

“We have a new thinking and a new way of doing things. We are moving away from the past because times are changing and we need to catch up.

“Our deliberate and strategic plans are geared towards sustainable development. We are committed to ensure that we build the capacity of our youths in areas that they can have comparative advantage.

“We have set up what we call Project Hope.

“This initiative is focused on tech hubs and agriculture. It will take our youths out of poverty and help to create sustainable livelihood.

“They will be their own bosses and also employers of labour,” he said.

The NDDC boss explained further that the commission is building a database of youths in the region to aide its planning and manpower development.

He said that the comprehensive database would enable the NDDC appropriate its empowerment scheme.

On innovative plans to change its operations, Ogbuku said the commission had engaged KPMG to develop an Internal Corporate Governance System.

While decrying the number of abandoned projects in the region, he said that the commission was partnering with state governments in the Niger Delta, individuals and institutions to maximise its developmental agenda.

“The partnership will enhance the quick delivery of critical infrastructure in the region,” he added.

Earlier in his remarks, Moses Siasia lauded the NDDC boss on the massive reforms he had embarked on, which according to him, had made the commission more result-oriented.

Siasia said they were in his office on a familiarisation visit and to congratulate him on his appointment.

He added that they have no doubt in his capacity of Ogbuku to deliver on his job.

He described the NDDC’s new thinking and vision as a product of purposeful leadership under Ogbuku and called for support from people of the region for him to succeed.

Abuja, Aug. 29, 2023: President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of a new Board and Management for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) inclusive of the following Board and Management team members.

This is contained in a statement by Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, on Tuesday in Abuja.

The President said the appointment of the new board and management took  immediate effect.

The following are the Chairman and members of the board.

Mr Chiedu Ebie – Chairman – Delta; Dr Samuel Ogbuku – Managing Director / CEO – Bayelsa, and Mr Boma Iyaye – Executive Director (Finance and Admin) – Rivers

Others are Mr Victor Antai – Executive Director (Projects) – Akwa-Ibom; Mr Ifedayo Abegunde – Executive Director (Corporate Services) – Ondo and Sen. Dimaro Denyanbofa – State Representative – Bayelsa

Also Mr Abasi Nkono – State Representative – Akwa Ibom; Hon. Monday Igbuya – State Representative – Delta and Chief Tony Okocha – State Representative – Rivers.

Hon Patrick Aisowieren – State Representative – Edo; Mr Kyrian Uchegbu – State Representative – Imo and Victor Kolade Akinjo – State Representative – Ondo.

Chief Dimgba Eruba – State Representative – Abia; and Mr Asu Oku Okang – State Representative – Cross River.

The three zonal members of the board are Hon. Nick Wende – Zonal Representative – North Central; Hon. Namdas Abdulrazak – Zonal Representative – North East; and Sen. Ibrahim Abdullahi Gobir – Zonal Representative – North West.

“The President expects  that the new board and management team will ensure a new era of successful administration in the NDDC, in line with his Renewed Hope agenda.”

Port Harcourt, July 20, 2023: The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) says it is planning to establish Niger Delta Chamber of Commerce (NDCC) to create new jobs and stimulate economic activities in the region.

NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, made this known at an interactive session with newsmen in Port Harcourt on Thursday.

He said the chamber of commerce would be used to engage entrepreneurs, who would in turn provide employment for thousands of youths in the Niger Delta.

“So, the idea of NDCC is to gather entrepreneurs in the region together under one platform, so that if we (NDDC) are supporting them, then we share the risks together.

“NDCC will provide the opportunity for businesses of members to be verified, and based on that verification, NDDC will offer support for the young entrepreneurs to grow their businesses.

“We know that there are lots of entrepreneurs who are very good in agriculture, among others, and so, we will ensure that NDDC is supporting the right people,” he said.

Ogbuku discarded the impression held by many that most youths of the Niger Delta were restive and had militancy traits.

“We know that most of our youths are not militants but entrepreneurs, who if properly supported will do very well for themselves.

“So, this means that entrepreneurs must come together under the NDCC platform, so that once we engage them, then they will be the one to verify members’ businesses.

“If at the end of the day, any entrepreneur that fails, then they will share the risks with NDDC, as we do not want to share money politically,” he added.

The managing director said that each entrepreneur engaged by NDDC was expected to employ at least five youths, thus creating thousands of jobs for indigent youths of the region.

Ogbuku said the commission was also looking at establishing a corporate governance system and Key Performance Indicator (KPI) module in NDDC.

According to him, setting up corporate governance will lay a solid foundation for robust development; strengthen NDDC Public-Private Partnership and align projects and programmes that meet aspirations of the people.

“We have in the past six months been engaged in building a sustainable foundation to ensure the commission runs in accordance with global best practices.

“Once there is a corporate governance system, then it means that everyone must be subjected to the processes and procedures. This is a game changer for NDDC.

“Whenever we go out seeking for partnership, one thing prospective partners and donor agencies look for is our internal control system.

“So, we want to regulate ourselves internally by establishing a corporate governance system. We are already talking with KPMG to help us establish the system,” he said.

Ogbuku said the commission was now looking toward embarking on legacy projects that would be completed and inaugurated in record time.

He said one of such projects was the 3.65 kilometre Okirika-Borokiri Road with three bridges that would connect Kolabi, Abotoru and Okpoka creeks to Port Harcourt.

According to him, the commission has concluded talks with contractors that will  mobilise to site, to commence construction of the road project in a week’s time.

Abuja, July 6, 2023: The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has expressed its readiness to partner with relevant development agencies and donors to improve the livelihoods of vulnerable population in the Niger Delta region.

The Managing Director, NDDC, Chief Samuel Ogbuku expressed this at a one- day Policy dialogue with development partners and donor agencies on Thursday in Abuja.

The theme of the dialogue is “Deepening governance through transparency and valued-added partnership’’.

Ogbuku said that one of the objectives of the dialogue was to comprehensively map the donor interventions and compile data on projects in the Niger Delta that complement the mandate of NDDC.

“It will also establish a coordination framework by identifying gaps and ensuring alignment.

“It will help to pool grants, technical assistance and expertise together to innovatively leverage additional resources and prepare financing options for joint social investments.”

He assured investors not to be scared as the management of the commission would ensure peaceful collaboration with partners.

“So if you are coming to invest in NDDC or you are partnering with other projects you should be rest assured that these projects are going to be judiciously used for the benefit of Niger Delta people.

“So we are here today to tell you that we are ready. We are here to let you know that whatever conditions you give to us, we are open to imbibe those conditions,” he said.

Similarly, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Dr Shuaib Belgore said that the aim of the forum was to brainstorm on the shared-mandates of the Ministry and the NDDC.

Belgore said brainstorming with development partners and the private sectors would guide the leadership of the Ministry and NDDC on how best to collaborate and promote greater synergy for enhanced results in the overall development of the region.

“This is also one of many new strategies designed by the current management of the Ministry and the NDDC, to fast-track the development of the region through extra-budgetary provisions aimed at meeting socio-economic needs of the region.

“I strongly believe that this platform would present the stakeholders a window of opportunity to collectively review our past development efforts in the region.

“With a view to charting a new robust road-map premised on probity and corporate governance structure.’’

He further said that the collaborative engagements with some partners had resulted in laudable achievements in the region.

“To cite few examples in this regard, the construction of the Ogbia-Nembe Road in Bayelsa State, built in partnership with Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and NDDC.

“The completed and the development of a Security Framework for participatory incident reporting and strengthening of rural and urban security in the region on which Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in Niger Delta (PIND) is collaborating with the Ministry among others.”

He said given the significant achievements recorded within the time-frame, the Ministry and NDDC were optimistic that a lot more good outcomes and measurable effectiveness in the region is achievable.

On his part, Dr Emmanuel Audu-Ohwavborua, Chairman, Public Private Partnership (PPP) Committee, NDDC, said that there were a lot of projects the Commission could partner with relevant development agencies to enhance development in Niger Delta region.

Audu-Ohwavborua said that the commission had built over 5000 kilometer roads and more than 42 bridges in the region.

In his goodwill message, Mr Joe Keshi, the Director-General, BRACI Commission, expressed willingness to collaborate with NDDC to improve the lives of people of the region.

According to him, it is time to change the narrative in the Niger Delta, because what the people of the region need is improved livelihood.

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) says it is in talk with global consultants to establish a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on its corporate governance structure.

Its Executive Director, Projects, Mr Charles Ogunmola, said this in an interview with newsmen on the sidelines of the Oil Technology Conference (OTC), which ended on May 6 in Houston Texas, U.S.

‘‘We are currently in talks with PwC, KPMG and Deloitte for one of them to come in and establish our corporate governance structure.

“With this, we will be able to operate like any other world class organisation, where everything is run with probity and guided with the best in practice rules of governance.

“This should start the journey of our corporate governance renewal and that is ongoing at the moment. We hope to establish a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) within the next 30 to 60 days.

Going forward, Ogunmola said that every project request must be business case based, adding that before now, the commission’s state offices used to be restricted to inspection.

He said NDDC officials would now be stationed at local government level, while equirements from the community must come from within.

According to him, everyone in the community must be involved, including youths, leaders and local pressure groups.

‘‘So, when the decision comes out, it will be a collective decision that no one in the community can deny.

“The local community must now come up with a need assessment which must be signed off by the community leaders.

“It is the people in the community that will execute such projects,’’ Ogunmola said.

Prior to now, he said only NDDC workers monitored projects, but going forward, the commission would involve independent organisations that would do such.

According to him, the firms are not just stationed in one location but move across states to monitor projects.

‘‘But an organisation would not just stay in one location. For instance, if an organisation monitors a project in Abia, today, the next project monitoring will be in Rivers or Akwa Ibom.

“So by that, it becomes difficult for the independent assessor to establish a relationship with any contractor.

“And that helps the commission to get an objective view and status about such a project from our internal workers who are very competent and external umpire,” Ogunmola explained

He said that the commission now has an advisory board for its budgeting process and must see that state governors, National Assembly, traditional rulers, youth and pressure groups sign off on a project before the implementation begins.

‘‘So, at the end of the day, when a project comes out, nobody can feign ignorance that they are not part of the process,” he added.

Ogunmola said every project must have an outcome framework where all boxes related to the project must be ticked by the contractor handling such project.

He explained that a situation where roads are built without drainages, sidewalks, culverts and streetlights would no longer be acceptable to the commission.

‘‘The era where a contractor just comes with a certificate of job completion to be signed off without meeting the requirements of project outcome will now be a thing of the past.

“The commission has developed a strategy to attract additional sources in line with the Act setting up the commission.

The executive director said the commission was exploring global funding and Private Public Partnership (PPP) arrangement in addition to its traditional sources.

Ogunmola identified the traditional funding to include; three per cent oil company budget, 15 per cent FAAC allocation and 50 per cent ecological fund.

To attract some of these funding options, he said the operations of the commission must be open and not opaque, hence the decision to hire one of the best international consulting firms to help it set up its corporate governance structure.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, has inaugurated the newly constituted Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

At the ceremony on Wednesday in Abuja, Mustapha called for an end to haphazard development in the region.

He said it was the expectation of government that a new page would be opened by the inauguration of the board.

Mustapha who was represented by the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Habiba Lawal, said: “It is also the expectation of the government that the development of the Niger Delta will henceforth, not be haphazard; it will be full time and full blown such that Nigerians within that heart of the country will benefit from the institution – Niger Delta Development Commission.”

Mustapha further said the government also expected that the board members will bring their experience to bare and ensure an equitable development within the different states of the Niger Delta.

“We urge you to ensure compliance with government regulations, procedures, processes and extant rules and regulations.

“We also expect the management to take into consideration in any endeavour, the full procedures in the Public Procurement Act, the Public Service Rules, the Financial Regulations in ensuring that they give good governance and give an accountable leadership within the time of the governing board of the Niger Delta Commission,” Mustapha also said.

While congratulating the board, Mustapha added that the government hoped that the confidence reposed in the new board would be reaped in the near future.

In his remarks, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Umana Okon Umana, said the inauguration was a welcome event to stakeholders in the Niger Delta project.

Mustapha also said President Muhammadu  Buhari approved the constitution of the Governing Board of the NDDC in line with section 2 (1) of the NDDC (Establishment) Act 2000, and the event was witnessed in fulfilment of the President’s promise that he would put in place, a new board for the commission after the conclusion of the forensic audit.

He added that the forensic audit into the activities of the NDDC from inception to 2019 was a response by the Federal Government to the feedback received from state governments of the Niger Delta region.

“As you may all be aware, the forensic audit had been concluded and its report submitted to government. While the White Paper on the report of the forensic audit is being awaited, some of its recommendations, such as the constitution of a new board for the commission, are being implemented.

“The tasks before the new board shall include a faithful implementation of the recommendations of the report of the forensic audit. Besides the findings of the forensic audit, government has received numerous petitions alleging irregularities in employment in the commission.

“The new board will have to look into these allegations of irregular employment from 2019 and follow up on the ongoing personnel audit in the commission to make sure that all cases of employment during the period under review were in accordance with extant rules and regulations of the service.

“In executing the mandate of the commission, the Board and Management of the NDDC are to note that in a letter of 29 September 2019 the President had: “(a) Delegated to the Honourable Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, the powers and duties conferred on the President by section 7(3) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Act” [and] “(b) Directed the Board and Management of the NDDC to carry out their activities under the supervision of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.” I believe the intent of the President’s letter as quoted above is self-explanatory,”

Mustapha said.

Mustapha also said the new management is to further note that it must strictly adhere to the relevant provisions of the extant rules in the service, particularly compliance with procurement thresholds as enshrined in the Public Procurement Act of the nation, and abide by the operating financial regulations to ensure prudence in the management of the limited resources.

“Every contract above the threshold of management is to be referred to the Ministerial Tenders Board and the Federal Executive Council. Any breach of contract approval limits will attract severe sanctions.

“I also urge you to shun the impulse for the award of spurious and indiscriminate new contracts, and suggest that you instead focus on the completion of ongoing projects to better serve the people of the region and deliver on the mandate of the NDCC, thereby helping to repair the negative public perception for the Commission,” Umana further said.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Board of the NDDC, Lauretta Onochie, said since its establishment by the NDDC Act, the NDDC has received a lot of flack from  all and sundry.

Onochie disclosed that the board will be looking to review also, in addition to all the guidelines issued by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, the existing policies and guidelines to enable the board have a clear sight as it hits the ground running.

“We cannot continue working with failed templates and expect to get a different result.

“Apart from the physical development of our region, we will be paying extra attention to the empowerment of our teeming youth population, equipping them with requisite skills to enable them catch up with their pairs in other parts of Nigeria and elsewhere,” Onochie said.

While noting that there was a huge task ahead of the board, Onochie asked for the support of Nigerians and Niger Delta in particular.

She further asked that the  board be given a breathing space to generate great ideas that will bring about the desired change in the region.

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that he is reviewing the concluded forensic audit of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in order to recover all the money stolen from the commission.

The President had ordered a forensic audit of the NDDC in October 2019 to probe alleged financial misappropriation.

Speaking in Abuja at the virtual commissioning of the NDDC Prototype Hostel at the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom on Thursday, Buhari pledged to prosecute those found culpable in accordance with the law.

According to the President, it was regrettable that the special development fund of the entire region was squandered by a few for more than 20 years, leaving many in penury.

 “The serial abuse, lack of delivery and what had become an entrenched institutional decay was the reason why I called for the forensic audit,” the President was quoted as saying in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina.

“Therefore, going forward we shall ensure every recoverable kobo, is recovered for use in service of the people of this region and those found culpable shall face the Law.

“Consequently, I want to use the opportunity of this commissioning to direct all statutory contributors to the NDDC to remit all outstanding funds to the Commission, and to ensure this is done transparently and according to laid down procedure and process.

“The Niger Delta Development Commission needs to demonstrate that it can achieve the objectives it was conceived for and make its impact felt all over the Niger Delta Region.

“The lives of the people of the Niger Delta could be so much better, if the funding received by this commission since its inception, in billions of naira over the last 20 years, has been judiciously deployed in service of the people.”

President Buhari directed that all abandoned projects that directly impact the livelihood of the people should be revived and completed.

This is even as he noted that the contract for the building of 1,050 capacity hostel for male and female students was awarded in 2004, and like many others, it was abandoned.

“When I directed the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs to institute a forensic audit of the Commission, after many representations by major stakeholders in the Niger Delta, I had also directed that all viable projects which had been abandoned, but which would impact positively on the lives and livelihoods of the people, be immediately revived and completed.”

“This prototype university hostel consists of 1,050-bed spaces, 525 each for males and females, and is furnished to meet the needs of a university student. The complex also boasts of significant hard and soft infrastructure to ensure its sustainability and durability.

“The completion of this structure is equally in recognition of the importance government attaches to providing quality housing and improved education for all Nigerians.”