“Hope lies in dreams, in imagination, and in the courage of those who dare to make dreams into reality.”
~ Jonas Salk
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), a Federal Government agency established by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo on June 5, 2000, has the sole mandate of developing the oil-rich Niger Delta region of Nigeria. It has been laden with poor leadership at different times, leading to the underdevelopment of the Niger Delta Region for almost 24 years after its creation.
The commission, having received above 15 trillion Naira (over 9 billion USD) in the past 24 years, was at a stalemate prior to this time, as even the Commission's heads with good vision couldn't properly function due to interference from "external forces." Boards, interim administrations, and acting managing directors have come and gone with little or no impact on the lives of the ordinary Niger Delta citizens.
The "epoch-making" Niger Delta Stakeholders Summit (N.D.S.S.) 2024 was long overdue. Unlike several other summits organized by past administrations, this one had sincerity of purpose and was, for the first time, apolitical. Invitees were not members of a particular political party or divide but critical stakeholders from all walks of life within and outside the region. The summit had in attendance the President, a former President , Governors, serving and past senators , House of representative members , top politicians , captains of industries, traditional rulers , women , and youth leaders .
The three-day event had plenary, breakout, and technical sessions, and key stakeholders ranging from politicians to business men and women to youth groups had their say on how to move the Niger Delta region forward. The Niger Delta has for a long time been known for several negative reasons, including kidnapping, militancy, and pipeline vandalization. However, in order to sustain the gradually changing narrative of moving the region from "transaction to transformation," critical stakeholders had to sit at a round table to brainstorm and find professional solutions to the region's several challenges.
The theme of the summit was "Renewed Hope for Sustainable Development of the Niger Delta Region," in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's Renewed Hope agenda. From all indications, Mr. President is committed to correcting the years of neglect of the Niger Delta region. The Senate President of Nigeria, Senator Godswill Akpabio, in his speech, said, "To achieve lasting solutions, we must overcome disunity. Unity among the people of the Niger Delta and the entire nation is not just a choice but a necessity. Through our shared vision, we can overcome the obstacles before us."
During the summit, former President Goodluck Jonathan noted, "NDDC came as a child of necessity whose strategic role also includes improving the environment, providing infrastructure, and enhancing the livelihood of the people in the region. With the birth of this current leadership of NDDC, people from the Niger Delta have seen some rays of light. Therefore, I encourage the political class not to overstretch the NDDC for them to be able to perform optimally."
Before the event, stakeholders, potential attendees, and onlookers were taken aback by the initiative of the 7th board of the NDDC, as they didn't see an event coming. This is because the MD/CEO of NDDC, Chief Samuel Ogbuku, Ph.D., has a vision of beating the norm, knowing how much is expected of him and the management team of the commission. With the communique read after the event, and Dr. Ogbuku's assurance to participants at the summit that their recommendations would be followed studiously to change the fortunes of the Niger Delta region, optimism was high.
**End Note**
With the conclusion of the record-breaking summit, all hands have to be on deck to ensure the Niger Delta region moves into a time of good fortunes, as the region belongs to us all. Chief Samuel Ogbuku-led administration has shown sincerity of purpose with their programs and events since they came on board. The days of sitting on the fence are over. The Niger Delta region belongs to us all, and if the board fails, it means we have all failed because, in one way or another, their performance affects us all. But if they succeed, not only will the region feel the impact, but we will also welcome our "glory days."
Martins Ogolo
Public Affairs Analyst
martins.ogolo@yahoo.com
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