The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has restated its commitment to the inclusive and sustainable development of the Niger Delta region, assuring that all ethnic nationalities would benefit from its developmental agenda.
Speaking at the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt, Managing Director Dr. Samuel Ogbuku made the remarks while receiving a delegation from the Isoko Ethnic Nationality led by Professor Chris Akpotu, President General of the Isoko Development Union.
Dr. Ogbuku emphasized the commission’s dedication to a holistic approach to regional development, stating that the NDDC remains open to all ethnic groups within the Niger Delta.
“Our mandate is to serve the people and address the collective challenges of underdevelopment, environmental degradation, and infrastructure deficits,” he said.
He also highlighted the importance of cultural and ancestral ties among ethnic groups, particularly between the Isoko and Ijaw communities, noting that such bonds should be harnessed for unity and progress.
In response to specific concerns raised by the delegation, Ogbuku provided updates on key projects, among which includes electrification project, Uzere-Patabi road, training centers.
On their parts, the Isoko leaders, through Professor Akpotu commended the NDDC boss for what he described as a paradigm shift in the commission’s operations from a “transactional agency to a transformational one.” He expressed gratitude for ongoing interventions and urged the commission to increase developmental projects in Isoko communities.