Ogbuku has brought freshness to NDDC, says Ondo State Govt
3 min read
Edith CHUKU
The Ondo State Government said the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC, Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, has brought “initiative and freshness” into the activities of the Commission, as an interventionist agency.
The Acting Governor of the state, Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, stated this when the NDDC Managing Director, Ogbuku, led a team of the Commission’s management to pay him a courtesy visit at the Government House in Akure.
The NDDC delegation included the Executive Director, Finance & Administration, Maj-Gen. Charles Airhiavbere (Rtd); Executive Director, Projects, Mr. Charles Ogunmola, and other Directors of the Commission.
Aiyedatiwa, who received the team on behalf of the Governor, Chief Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, commended the NDDC, for ensuring the completion of the 132/33kv electricity sub-station at Ode-Erinje in Okitipupa Local Government Area of the state.
He expressed delight that the sub-station, which he said would provide electricity for many communities, was about 99 per cent completed.
The Acting Governor appealed to the NDDC to help them expand the distribution network to ensure that the light generated at the sub-station gets to Ilaje Local Government Area.
Aiyedatiwa continued that the economic potentials in Ondo State were diverse and urged the NDDC to partner with the government in making the needed investments.
According to him, “The Public Private Partnership, PPP, arrangement is a good initiative. The Ogbia-Nembe Road Stands as a testimony to this. The PPP affords the NDDC a wider access to funding.”
On the Ayetoro sea incursion, the Acting Governor appealed to the NDDC and other development agencies to help in saving Ayetoro from the ravages of the sea. He said: “We want the NDDC to partner with us to reclaim the threatened communities and turn it into a tourism hub.”
Aiyedatiwa said that the construction of the 50-kilometre Akodo-Araromi/Ibeju-Lekki Road was another project dear to the state government, for which a partnership with the NDDC would be appreciated.
Speaking earlier, the NDDC Boss, Dr Ogbuku, said it was important to engage and consult stakeholders of the Niger Delta and commended The Ondo state Government for ‘its commitment to developing the state’.
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The NDDC Chief Executive Officer affirmed that the Commission was laying a solid foundation for impactful development of the Niger Delta region by strengthening Public-Private Partnerships and ensuring that its projects and programmes were aligned with the needs and aspirations of the people of the region.
He said that the NDDC adopted the PPP model to generate funds for its projects, noting that, “We hosted a PPP summit in Lagos on April 25, with the theme: “Rewind to Rebirth,” which attracted stakeholders from across the country and continent. It was an event many critical stakeholders at home and abroad described as “hope-awakening for the NDDC.
“Similarly, on July 6, we hosted a Policy Dialogue for development partners and donor agencies in Abuja. We will soon be engaging financial institutions as critical partners. Our presence here is also to extend our hands of partnership to with both the state government and other stakeholders.”
Ogbuku stated that the NDDC was setting up a Corporate Governance system to strengthen its processes and procedures for sustainable development of the Niger Delta region.
He further stressed that, “Whenever we go out seeking for partnerships, one thing these prospective partners and donor agencies look for is our internal control system. We are willing to be internally regulated. So, we are talking with KPMG, a reputable global business consultancy, to help us establish a sustainable Corporate Governance system.”
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