The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) as an interventionist Commission with the key mandate to pull the Niger Delta Region (NDR) out of the socio-economic, environmental and political challenges that have engulfed the region prior to Nigeria’s independence has not been able to perform the expected miracle since its establishment, despite the huge amount budgeted and allocated to it yearly by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
This assertion has in reality threatened the relevance of the Commission and there have been suggestions for reorganising and redefining the mission and vision of NDDC so as to reposition it to be more proactive.
Although there are numerous challenges that have advertently affected the satisfactory performance of the commission across the Niger Delta Region in general since the commission was inaugurated in the year 2000.
The sociocultural structure and problems of the region in itself has adversely affected the performance of key interventions and vice versa.
However some of the major problems facing the commission’s projects and the region were more on managerial than financial. Corruption, use of incompetent contractors, environmental problems, youth militancy and violence, lack of adequate monitoring and evaluation coupled with misappropriation and mismanagement of funds has been prominent.
NATIONAL ECONOMY understands that the Niger Delta Region is characterised by poverty, corruption, environmental degradation, economic hoax, environmental problems and neglect coupled with instability and militarisation due to youths restiveness which have made the region highly volatile and problematic not only to Nigerian Government but to the world as these problems affects other economies through the production and pricing of crude oil.
Again, ineffective management of the Nigerian economy is reflected in the scarcity of petrol despite the fact that the country is one of the greatest exporters of crude.
The problems of the region could be expressly explained as characterised with water and land pollution as a result of spills and drilling activities, destruction of vegetation, deforestation, displacement of human settlements as a result of installation and location of exploration facilities such as crude oil and gas carrying pipes that crisscrossed most communities in the regions, loss of bio-diversity such as fauna and flora habitat, destruction of mangrove swamps and salt marsh, air polluting and acid vain from oil and gas exploration.
Precisely in 2016, the federal government took a major step to reorganize the commission, describing the NDDC as being in bad shape when its debt profile rose to over N300 billion without much to transform the Niger Delta since its inception, due to many contracts yet to be completed in most cases.
The government regretted that the organisation had lost its focus of serving primarily as a strategic development vehicle but served more as a political organisation, thereby denying the people of the area the real benefits for which it was set up.
Thus the government insisted that the NDDC was due for reorganization to serve as a strategic development organisation to be able to address the peculiar needs of the region and its people.
In 2022, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved seven hundred and forty-five million Naira to engage eight more field forensic auditors to probe activities of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The NDDC is an interventionist agency set up in 2000 to see to the development of the oil-rich Niger Delta region and tackle the ecological problems arising from oil production activities in the mandate states.
The agency has generally fallen short of meeting the expectations of the people of the nine mandate states – Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo, and Rivers.
In its years of existence, the agency has been at the centre of many mind-boggling unresolved corruption allegations undercutting its capacity to deliver on its mandate to the people of the Niger Delta region.
The NDDC was reported to have over 13,000 poorly executed and unverified projects despite N6trillion allocation it received from 2001 to 2019.
The federal government has been particularly concerned with the colossal loss occasioned by uncompleted and unverified development projects in the Niger Delta region, in spite of the huge resources made available to uplift the living standard of the citizens.
Changing The Narrative
The newly inaugurated Governing Board of the Commission in the mind of the present administration is key to realization of President Bola Tinubu’s 8-point agenda as they are expected to be guided by these priorities in their work for the Niger Delta area.
The inauguration of the board, aims at aligning with the ‘Renewed Hope’ Agenda of Tinubu, and to that very extent the board is further expected to be conversant with the Eight (8) Presidential Priorities ranging from Food Security, Ending of Poverty in inclusivity, Job Creation, Anti-corruption stance, Rule of Law and others. To that extent, you are expected to work towards delivery in those areas.”
The present administration is consciously aware that there have been a lot of complaints about the NDDC and thus demanded a change of the narrative as it cannot continue to do the same thing the same way and expect to achieve a different result.
Tinubu’s administration’s charge to the board is to revisit abandoned projects and ensure that about N30 million owed to local contractors are cleared off reminding them of the importance of the Niger Delta region.
They are to bring to the fore their wealth of experience and expertise, as well as dedication in working harmoniously with other stakeholders to achieve socio-economic prosperity in line with the ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda of Mr. President.
Breaking New Infrastructure Frontiers
The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, will over the next few weeks commission 92 infrastructure projects executed at a cost of N84 billion across the nine mandates states in the region.
The projects speak of the impact the Commission is making in changing the development narratives of the region.
The projects include the 25.7-kilometre Ogbia-Nembe Road, which creates a road link to the ancient city of Nembe, for the first time.
The star project also includes 9.15 km of pre-fabricated vertical drains on the swamp and seven Bridges.
Executed at a cost of N24 billion, the road cuts the travel time to Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital from 3 hours on dangerous water routes to a mere 45 minutes. It also opens up 14 communities for development.
The project was executed in partnership with Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, and is hailed as a model in NDDC’s partnership approach to tacking the development challenges of the region.
The commission has completed the 132KV Transmission Line and I32KV/33KV Substation electrification project, executed at a cost of N8.3 billion to optimise power supply to local government areas in the southern part of Ondo State.
The project covers the construction of 45km double circuit 33KV feeder lines from Omotosho Power Station (Hook-up point) to Okitipupa and two 30MVA, 132/33KV Injection Substations with breakers, gantry and substation automation. It also includes the construction of a 3-bedroom semi-detached bungalow as service quarters.
The capacity of this power station is optimised with the provision of 2 x 60MVA, 132/33KV transformer and other ancillary works at Okitipupa Injection Substation, rehabilitation of 35km 33/11KV transmission from Okitipupa-Igbokoda-Ugbonla and environs and the construction of 1km rigid pavement.
The electricity project will complement the federal government’s effort in the power sector by improving power supply to Okitipupa, Igbokoda and other neighbouring communities in Ondo South Senatorial District with direct value chain in small and medium scale industries, job creation and consequently engender growth and development in Ondo State.
In Akwa Ibom State, NDDC will commission the 6.87-kilometre Iko-Iwuochang road in the southern part of the state. The road project consists of two-lane single carriageway, a 600-metre bridge and side drains.
The N10 billion virgin road project links 20 communities, hitherto separated by the Qua Iboe river.
In Abia State, the commission completed the Obehie to Oke Ikpe-road reconstructed at a cost of N3.5 billion. The nine-kilometre road restores the road link between Rivers and Akwa Ibom states, through Abia (Ukwa East/West).
It involved the reconstruction of seven kilometres of failed sections of the road and the construction of three kilometres and 8 kilometres of drainage.
Other projects include roads, electrification, a police station, health centres and school blocks.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the commissioning of the multi-billion naira 132KV Transmission Line and I32KV/33KV electricity substation at Ode-Erinje in Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State, was full of praise to the agency.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, the president, who was represented by the minister for Niger Delta Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, said the project demonstrated the determination of the federal government to develop the Niger Delta region.
He said the federal government was placing priority on electricity as one of the sure ways of boosting industrialisation in the country.
The president congratulated the NDDC for completing the project and enjoined the people of the Niger Delta region to continue to support the federal government.
In his speech, the Ondo State governor, Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, gave kudos to the NDDC for what he described as a landmark project.
He declared, “I am deeply grateful to all individuals, organisations and stakeholders whose dedication and collaboration has brought this project to fruition. A special acknowledgment is owed to the current management of the NDDC under the chairmanship of Mr. Chiedu Ebie and the managing director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, for its invaluable partnership, unwavering support, and steadfast commitment to realising this high impact endeavour.
“ I appreciate our esteemed Royal fathers, in this district, the resilient residents of Ode-Erinje: our gracious host community, and the entire people of the Southern Senatorial District for their cooperation and steadfast support throughout the journey of this project.
“ This transformative project will bring significant benefits, including job opportunities, new investments, better healthcare and support socioeconomic development in the district. Moreover, the project will, no doubt, boost economic activities and improve the quality of life for our citizens by ensuring reliable and affordable electricity supply.
The Governor urged the people in the Senatorial District to own the project and protect it , considering what they had been through for about 15 years without electricity supply. “It is our collective duty to protect the Substation and other allied facilities from vandalism,” he said.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the NDDC Governing Board, Mr. Chiedu Ebie, said that the project was a reflection of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s strong desire to have the Niger Delta Region transformed into a zone of peace and development.
He stated that the NDDC was dedicated to advancing the implementation of the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Our commitment to this project, which has been in progress for over a decade, remains unwavering. As a board, we have chosen to focus on initiatives that will positively impact the lives of the people, regardless of who initiated the project.
Also speaking, the NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, affirmed that the electricity project would complement the Federal Government’s effort in the power sector, noting that the benefits were enormous.
He assured that the electricity sub-station would illuminate over 2,000 communities across five local government areas within the oil-producing region of Ondo State, significantly impacting lives and boosting businesses.
Ogbuku commended the traditional rulers and leaders in the area for protecting the project from the activities of vandals.
Giving a brief of the project, the NDDC Executive Director, Projects, Sir Victor Antai, said that the contract provided for the construction of 45km double circuit 33KV Feeder lines from Omotosho Power Station (Hook-up point) to Okitipupa and two 30MVA, 132/33KV Injection Substations with breakers, gantry and substation automations.
It also provided for the construction of 3-bedroom semi-detached bungalow as service quarters.He explained: “The project is aimed at complementing the Federal Government’s *effort* in the power sector by improving power supply to Okitipupa, Igbokoda and other neighbouring communities in Ondo South Senatorial District with direct value to chain in small and medium scale industries, job creation and *consequently* ,engender growth and development in Ondo State.
Giving a goodwill message, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on NDDC, Senator Asuquo Ekpeyong, said that the project symbolized a significant step in our collective effort to enhance the quality of life and economic potential of our region. He observed: “This project is not just an infrastructure endeavor but also a beacon of hope for what can be achieved when we unite with purpose and determination. A closer look at this specific project reveals several positive milestones in bridging the infrastructure gaps in the Niger Delta and Nigeria as a whole.”
Need For Early Budget Approval And IOCs Statutory Funding
One of the challenges of the new NDDC, is the delay in completing projects to belated budget submission, delayed approvals and other challenges which it is meticulously pursuing as vowed to address.
At a two-day workshop tagged: “Partnership for Sustainable Development (PSD) Forum, NDDC 2024 Budget of Reconstruction Conference”, stakeholders harped on restructuring the budget process to catch – up with the new budget year 2024.
The commission’s managing director and chief executive officer (CEO), Dr Samuel Ogbuku, promised a new era of transparency in the budgeting process through a holistic articulation of issues with the involvement of key stakeholders including governors of the nine Niger Delta states, international oil companies (IOCs), the traditional rulers and civil society organizations (CSOs).
He said the new ‘Budget of Reconstruction’ beginning from 2024, hopes to address cases of abandoned projects and other infrastructural deficits impinging negatively on the accelerated growth plans of the region.
The agency under his watch, he said, had been meeting with the governors, the Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG), the IOCs, and other stakeholders with a view to ascertaining areas of collaboration and other intervention measures to tackle development challenges in the region.
According to him, abandoned road and bridge projects in Rivers State, the Escravos road project in Delta State and other abandoned projects in the region, have already been earmarked for completion, and tasked stakeholders to be in the vanguard of the evolution of the new interventionist agency.
Ogbuku, said the Commission was committed to the completion and commissioning of all on-going projects across the Niger Delta region.
Speaking through a virtual presentation at the NDDC’s region-wide media engagement, in Port Harcourt, recently Dr Ogbuku said that the recent inauguration of five mega projects in Abia, Edo, Ondo, Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom states was a testimony of the new passion with which the Commission was delivering on its mandate.
The NDDC Chief Executive Officer stated that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had charged the Commission to complete and commission signature projects that would impact the lives of Niger Deltans.
Ogbuku stated that the NDDC had so far inaugurated the 132/33kv electricity sub-station at Ode-Erinje in Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State, to light up five local government areas in the state, as well as the 25.7-kilometre Ogbia-Nembe Road in Bayelsa State, which we executed in partnership with Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC.
He said that the NDDC also inaugurated the 600-meter Ibeno Bridge and the 6.87-kilometre Iko-Atabrikang-Opolom-IwuoAchang Road, in Ibeno Local Government Area, of Akwa Ibom State, as well as the 9-kilometre Obehie-Oke-Ikpe Road in Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State.
Taking the media executives on a virtual tour of NDDC projects, the Executive Director Projects, Sir Victor Antia, said that the Commission had constructed and rehabilitated 5,141.3 kilometres of roads through swamps and virgin forests. He added that the Commission had also built 42 bridges, thousands of hydraulic structures and 87 jetties across the Niger Delta region.
He said that the Commission had resumed its Free Healthcare Programme which caters to the needs of rural communities, as part of the Commission’s commitment to enhance healthcare delivery to the people of the Niger Delta region.
“In the on-going free medical outreach across the nine Niger Delta states, 20,000 surgeries have been performed, while 45,000 patients have been attened to and 27,000 eye glasses distributed,” he said.
In the education sector, he highlighted the Foreign Post-Graduate Scholarship Programme of the Commission, noting that 2,323 students in the region had so far benefited from it. He added: “We have commenced the process for the 2024/2025 scholarship programme.”
Earlier in his welcome address, the NDDC Executive Director Corporate Services, Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde, acknowledged the contributions of the media to the growth of democracy and public accountability.
He said: “Today, NDDC is setting a landmark precedent in its engagement with the Press. This strategic engagement is in line with the new management’s mantra of Transition from Transactions to Transformation (TTT). Consequently, the management of NDDC has decided to transit from sectional engagement with the Press to a more elaborate and strategic engagement to solidify our partnership and strengthen our bond with the press.
“The current Governing Board and Management under the able leadership of Chiedu Ebie and Dr. Samuel Ogbuku as Chairman and Managing Director, respectively, is poised on establishing a sustainable partnership with the Press through periodic region-wide media engagement while promoting good journalism within the remit of our mandate as an interventionist agency.
“In the bid to achieve the Commission’s vision for the good people of our region, we need the press to tell our impactful stories and communicate our aspirations in the most accurate and effective way. One which has always been to see that people of the Niger Delta live a better life.
Speaking at the media event, the President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Eze Anaba, remarked that the NDDC slogan which said: “Transiting from Transaction to Transformation,” was inspiring and forward looking.
He observed: “It is reassuring that the NDDC is speaking confidently about its achievements. The promise of a new dawn in NDDC is inspiring and the media will be ready to support the Commission in its efforts to transform the Niger Delta region.”
The NDDC has also appealed to International Oil Companies, IOCs, operating in the region to honour their financial obligations to the Commission as new projects aimed at developing the region is capital intensive and requires consistent funding.
