The director, Corporate Affairs of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Pius Ughakpoteni, expressed optimism of the interventionist agency achieving its master plan of sustainable development of the region.
He predicated his stance on the strides recorded so far by the Chief Samuel Ogbuku-led management board with the soon-to-be commissioned N84 billion projects spread across the nine Niger Delta states.
Ughakpoteni gave the assurance at the weekend in a statement made available to LEADERSHIP in Uyo, the state capital, explaining that the NDDC, without political distractions had since resolved to work towards the actualisation of the President Bola Tinubu-led federal government goal of sustainable development of the region in line with the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’.
He said, “With a forward looking, innovative and result – oriented roadmap, the commission is well equipped towards ensuring a holistic and sustainable development of the Niger Delta into a region that is economically prosperous, socially stable, ecologically regenerative and politically peaceful.
“That is why, in pursuing the mandate of development, the managing director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, had pointed out in his address during the last board and management retreat which held between February 9th – 10th, 2024, in Ekpene in Akwa Ibom State that the NDDC’s current management would explore means of reducing recurrent expenditure, while focusing on completing capital projects; only those that add value to the region and transforming it, in accordance with the eight-point presidential priorities, and the demands of the NDDC Act of 2000.
“And in the light of the above, the NDDC, will in the next two weeks commission 92 infrastructure projects executed at a cost of N84 billion across the nine mandates States in the region. The projects are already speaking of the impact the commission is making in changing the development narratives of the region,” he said.
He listed the projects to included; the 25.7 km Ogbia-Nembe Road, which creates a road link to Nembe, for the first time in living memory; the 9.15 km of pre-fabricated vertical drains on the swamp and seven bridges.
“These projects executed at the cost of N24 billion, cuts the travelling time to Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital from three hours on dangerous water routes/curves to mere 45 minutes and also opens up 14 communities for development.
“The project was executed in partnership with Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), and it is a model in NDDC’s partnership approach to tackling the development challenges of the region,” he explained.
Also slated for commissioning is the 132KV transmission line and I32 KV/33KV sub-station 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.
According to him, “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.”