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.
During a courtesy visit by members of the NDDC Governing Board, led by the Chairman, Mr. Chiedu Ebie, to the governor at the state Government House, Port Harcourt, 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 governor said that the state government would support the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola 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.
“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”.
On the duplication of projects as highlighted by the NDDC Chairman, the governor advised the commission to avoid such cases, stating that it was 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 challenges, which, according to him, had often caused by some frictions between the states and the commission.
Fubara assured the NDDC Board members that his government was open to partnership and collaboration in the execution of projects, urging the commission to embark on projects that would add value to the lives of the people of the region.
Earlier, Ebie, thanked the state government for hosting the commission since its inception in 2000.
He said: “The NDDC Board was inaugurated on 16th November. 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.
The NDDC Board members on the visit included the Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku; Executive Director for Finance and Administration, Alabo Boma Iyaye; Executive Director for Projects, Sir Victor Antai; and Executive Director for Corporate Services, Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde.
