Tinubu’s Govt Gaining Momentum Through NDDC’s Performance -Youth Groups
Edith CHUKU
Overwhelmed by what they described as the superb, outstanding performance of the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC, a coalition of youth groups in the Niger Delta have declared that the All Progressives Congress APC, would win the 2027 presidential election on a platter of gold.
They said this was because president Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is gaining massive support from the region following the performance of the Dr. Samuel Ogbuku led NDDC leadership, which they charged him to keep up.
The over 20 youth groups in the region, including the Crusaders for Niger Delta Community Development CNDCD, and the Niger Delta Youth Coalition for Peace and Progress (NDYCPP), stated this when they gathered in Port Harcourt, to assess the achievements of the commission since the Inauguration of the board.
They expressed their satisfaction with the NDDC board after a tour of most projects undertaken and completed by the current board, including ongoing projects and inherited ones which spread across the length and breadth of the Niger Delta.
In a communique issued at the end of the meeting, the youth leadership commended Ogbuku and his team for the people-oriented projects spread across the region which they said have made life more meaningful to the people.
The communique read by Pastor Jude Olayinka of NDYCPP thanked Tinubu for the appointment of the current leadership of the board which they described as a round peg in a round hole.
According to them, “this is the first time since the formation of the NDDC that the commission is meeting the developmental and human capacity needs of the people of the region.
“When you talk of transiting from transaction to transformation, it means that policy framework, programmes should be laid in such a way that it makes greater room for continuity and effective and efficient service delivery on the part of the institution that is driving it.
“If the institution has no solid foundation on ground, it will create room for inefficiency, ineffectiveness, laxity and all other vices, but the current NDDC board has laid a very good foundation, first of all for management, and then the workers – in line with internationally accepted standards and policies; setting the pace for regional prosperity, educational improvement and advancement, economic growth, health, infrastructure and every other thing, and these are things everybody can see.
“Look at the scholarships in the educational sector, foreign scholarship. The processes to gain the scholarship are very fair, credible, transparent and it encourages healthy competition for people to thrive.
“Look at his programmes with the first lady. So, even in the primary, secondary and tertiary institutions, they are trying to touch lives, and don’t forget that it is only recently the federal government is approving their budget.”
They noted that “with this budget being released, you can see that a good foundation has already been laid and development will now come in, so this is an A team, and everybody from the MD to the least are all seasoned technocrats.
“Look at the robust engagements with all stakeholders, and it is not just engagement like a teaparty affair, all the ideas and resolutions brought in by stakeholders are what the NDDC is using to work, and so the people now have a say on how they want their areas to be developed – these are the things endearing people to this Tinubu’s government.
“Don’t forget, people were thinking the NDDC would be run based on political party affiliation – where it is just a party thing and only members of the APC will benefit, but Ogbuku is carrying everybody along irrespective of their political parties. Look at their relationship with the state governors, even those who are not members of the APC, it is very robust, and everyone can see the healthy engagement that they have. You can see the humility of the current leaders of the commission.
“Also, look at the stakeholders, the ethnic nationalities – the Ogbuku-led NDDC is touching every facet of the society, none is left behind. Even the youths, none is left behind – all shades of the youth bodies are being carried along. Look at the light system, the power system. Knowing the high cost of generating power, the solar system became a magic wand; causing robust transformation in the communities, thereby reducing insecurity and causing commercial activities to be done all through the night.”
The Niger Delta youth group stated that, “People are beginning to have more comfort doing their businesses and everybody is happy, and we hear on a very strong authority that the NDDC will embark on solar powered borehole systems across Niger Delta communities.
“And all these things are meant to address major problems bedeviling our communities – lack of light, good educational system and water. And don’t forget, some states are seriously challenged by cholera pandemic mostly caused and spread by lack of portable drinking water, and if these solar boreholes are put in place, most of these health problems caused by drinking of contaminated water will no longer be there.
“Also, this current leadership has done a great deal when you talk of continuity of projects. It is out of this world that any government would come and say we want to inherit abandoned projects, knowing the political mentality of our people, that no matter how much you try to complete abandoned projects, it is those who initiated the project that will be given the credit; failing to understand that it is the person who finished it that did the greatest job and should take the credit. But, despite that, Ogbuku and his team say they are ready to finish every abandoned project undertaken by the NDDC.”
The communique was signed by the National Coordinator of Crusaders for Niger Delta Community Development (CNDCD), Mr.Jesse Ese, the National President of Niger Delta Youth Coalition for Peace and Progress (NDYCPP), Pastor Jude Teidor Olayinka, Chairman, Council Of Organisational Leaders (COOL) IYC, Mr. Tonbra Kingdom Yeri.
Others are Speaker, Rivers State Youth Leaders Assembly, Mr. Prince Tonye Jeminimiema, National President, Niger Delta Youths for Practical Development, Mr. Rufus Ekewoi Jefferson, Coalition of Ijaw Youths, CIY, Mr. Datonye Iketubosin, Secretary, Niger Delta for Non-violence Youth Leaders Assembly, Mr. George Okitikpi.
Also, Chairman, Association for Non Violence in Niger Delta (ANND), Mr. Tonye Richmond Dokubo, South South Youth Leaders Coalition for Eradication of Poverty, Mr. Prince Benjamin Joshua, Imo Community Youth Leaders Association, Mr. Chinedu Anokwute, National Coordinator, Niger Delta Ethnic Youths Roundtable, Mr. Ibifubara Jackreece.
National Coordinator, Niger Delta Youth for Environmental Rights Protection (NDYERP), Mr. McPrince Mbu, National Coordinator, League of Niger Delta Professionals, Mr. Tamunosaki O. Ibieneye, National President, Ibom Youths Alliance (Akwa Ibom), Mr. Dimieari Pepple, Chairman, Niger Delta Young Entertainer’s Forum (Delta State), Mr. Alfred Harry, President, United Rivers Coalition, Mr. Michael Omachi, President, Prestigious Ladies of Nigeria, Princess Dawari George Charity, and National Secretary, Youth Advocacy for Greater Efficiency in Governance, Mmedara Idorenyin Akpan.
