Former National Spokesman of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Comr. Ebilade Ekerefe, on Monday, gave thumbs up to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) led by Dr. Samuel Ogbuku.
According to Ekerefe, the NDDC under Ogbuku has “saved the blushes of those who strongly advocate and agitate for the appointment of a substantive board of the commission by placing the commission on the right trajectory of accelerating regional development, consolidating peace and bringing prosperity to the doorsteps of our people.”
Ekerefe, who is also the founder and leader of the Niger Delta advocacy group, New Era Movement, gave the commendation via a statement entitled “DR. SAMUEL OGBUKU’S NDDC: A BEACON OF HOPE FOR THE NIGER DELTA.”
In his words: “As a key stakeholder in the Niger delta project that has contributed to the advocacy and intellectual agitations that culminated into the appointment of a substantive board of the NDDC during my time as the Spokesman of the Ijaw Youth Council, it gladdens my heart to report back to our people that the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, under the dynamic leadership of Dr. Samuel Ogbuku.
“The Commission’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, has demonstrated unwavering commitment to transform the Niger Delta into a region of growth, prosperity and peace.
“A viable leadership is determined by the vision, drive and dedication to the mandate. Samuel Ogbuku’s emergence as Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission has redefined the Commission’s mandate, resonating the original ideology as an interventionist agency.”
He maintained that Niger Delta communities have become construction sites lately, unlike in the past when there were several abandoned projects.
“Dr. Samuel Ogbuku’s pioneering project shortly after his appointment as the NDDC helmsman, ‘operation light up the Niger Delta’ where solar powered street lights illuminates every nook and cranny of the region clearly demonstrates his commitment to a rekindled hope for a better Niger Delta,” he said.
He stated that the solar light initiative has helped to reduce criminality and enhanced commercial activities in the region as well as created a safer, vibrant environment for all.
The youth leader opined that the timely approval of the 2024 NDDC budget will accelerate socio-economic development across the region.
“Recall that as Ogbuku presented this budget to the House of Representatives Committee on the NDDC, he emphasized the board’s determination to lay a solid foundation for sustainable economic growth and a greener future.
“Aptly titled the “Budget of Renewed Hope,” the document reflects the Commission’s renewed focus on real development, free from political interference which had bedevilled its activities over the years,” he averred.
