The Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has promised to collaborate and support the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, in its efforts to fast-track the development of the Niger Delta region.
Governor Fubara spoke at the Rivers State Government House, Port Harcourt, during a courtesy visit by members of the NDDC Governing Board, led by the Chairman, Mr. Chiedu Ebie.
The NDDC team included the Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, the Executive Director Finance and Administration, Alabo Boma Iyaye; the Executive Director Projects, Sir Victor Antai; the Executive Director Corporate Services, Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde, other members of the Board and directors of the Commission.
Fubara said: “I am very happy that you have done the right thing by paying this courtesy visit. I assure you that we are ready to collaborate with all Federal Government agencies committed to the development of the Niger Delta region.
“The speech of the Chairman, Mr. Ebie, shows that NDDC has already identified more than 90 per cent of the problems facing the region and is ready to solve them.”
The Governor said that the Rivers State Government would support the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to bring hope to the people of the state and Niger Delta region. He pledged: “We are going to support you to enable you discharge your duties and I pray that your tenure will record more successes than the previous boards.”
Responding to the issue of duplication of projects as highlighted by the NDDC Chairman, the Governor advised the Commission to avoid cases of duplication of projects, stating that it was very necessary to consult the states before embarking on projects in their respective territories.
He said that by identifying the problem, the NDDC had shown that it was ready to address the challenge, which according to him, had often caused some frictions between the states and the Commission.
Governor Fubara assured the NDDC Board members that his government was open to partnership and collaboration in the execution of projects. He urged the Commission to embark on projects that would add value to the lives of the people of the region.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the NDDC Governing Board, Mr. Chiedu Ebie, thanked the Rivers State Government for hosting the Commission since its inception in 2000.
He said: “The NDDC Board was inaugurated on November 16. As our host governor, we thought it wise to pay you this courtesy visit before holding our inaugural meeting.
“We need to create a new life in the NDDC and collaborate more with development partners, including the state governments and other stakeholders in the region to achieve our objectives. I know that we have had problems with duplication of projects. Henceforth, representatives of the states in the NDDC Board must be in constant touch with their state governments and ensure that projects are based on needs assessment.”
The NDDC Chairman assured the Governor that the new Board would work in synergy with governors in the nine states covered by the Commission.
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