NDDC State Offices: Symbol of Grassroots Development

By Ifeatu Agbu

A symbolic edifice for grassroots development was added to the skylines of Warri with the recent commissioning of a model state office of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, in the oil and gas hub of Delta State.

The new office complex is a significant milestone in NDDC’s drive to strengthen administrative presence and development delivery across the Niger Delta region.

Before now, the Commission had carried out its activities in Delta State from a rented building. It is, therefore, significant that it now has a permanent office address.

Moving into its own home represents a renewed move by NDDC to decentralise its operations, enhance service delivery, and reaffirm its core mission of transforming the oil-rich Delta into a region of shared prosperity and sustainable development.

The modern facility in Warri has been aptly described as a symbol of progress and institutional renewal, designed to enhance coordination and efficiency in implementing infrastructure, education, health, and empowerment initiatives within Delta State.

Indeed, the NDDC has state offices in the nine states of the Niger Delta region, but most of the offices are in rented buildings. The exceptions are Abia, Bayelsa, Cross River and Rivers states. Expectedly, the offices are meant to facilitate regional development. They serve as a bridge between the Commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt and the local communities, ensuring that projects and programmes are tailored to meet specific state needs.

The Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, who commissioned the Warri office complex, maintained that it is a symbol of “shared commitment to development, inclusion, and service delivery.”

According to him, “the project is a clear reflection of shared responsibility and purposeful governance, and actual progress happens when institutions work together to bring impact closer to the people.”

Oborevwori called on the NDDC to strengthen collaboration with the Delta State Government in addressing critical infrastructure gaps, particularly federal roads, while investing more in education and healthcare.

He advocated a strategic alliance between the NDDC and state governments to rehabilitate critical federal roads across the region.

The Governor expressed his readiness to partner with the NDDC on the Omadino-Warri-Escravos Road, disclosing that a joint meeting between the state government, Chevron, and the Commission is scheduled for early next month to outline the next steps.

The project, which the NDDC initiated over a decade ago, now stands as a testament to the government’s renewed commitment to grassroots development and collaboration in the region.

He affirmed that the office complex represented a reaffirmation of shared dedication to bringing development closer to the people.

Oborevwori commended the NDDC boss for his visionary leadership and commitment to development, stating that the new office would reinforce institutional stability and renewed purpose.

The governor further lauded President Bola Tinubu for his Renewed Hope Agenda, noting that it had strengthened state finances, fostered inclusivity, and restored public confidence in governance.

Governor Oborevwori commended the NDDC for its sustained collaboration with state governments, emphasising that synergy between development agencies and local administrations is vital for delivering the dividends of democracy.

In his remarks, the Minister of Regional Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, stated that President Tinubu had directed the NDDC to complete all abandoned projects in the region.

He cited successes such as the restoration of electricity in Okitipupa in Ondo State after 15 years and the construction of key bridges and substations.

Momoh urged NDDC staff to maintain the new facilities and remain non-partisan while ensuring equitable service delivery to all Niger Delta communities.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the NDDC Governing Board, Mr. Chiedu Ebie, reaffirmed the Commission’s readiness to collaborate with Delta and other Niger Delta states to achieve sustainable development.

He averred: “Partnership remains the foundation of the commission’s success. The NDDC Board provides strategic guidance and direction to management in executing their daily responsibilities. A key example is the adoption of KPMG’s working document, which now guides our implementation processes and internal reforms.”

He noted that the Board had strengthened the NDDC governance system by adopting a new transparency framework developed with KPMG.

On his part, the NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, said the new Delta State office in Delta signified the commission’s shift “from transaction to transformation,” adding that it would serve as a hub for improved service delivery.

He declared: “We are ambassadors of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. What you see here today is proof that we are inspired to deliver real results.”

The NDDC boss stated that the era of abandoned projects in the Niger Delta was over, stressing that the commission was now focused on completing all inherited projects across the region.

He reaffirmed the NDDC’s commitment to building strategic partnerships aimed at enhancing the quality of life for the people of the Niger Delta.

Ogbuku highlighted the gains from the collaboration between NDDC and the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) on ₦650 billion worth of infrastructure projects and assured that the NDDC was committed to timely project completion.

Addressing past failures, Ogbuku stated, “It’s not our fault that projects were abandoned in the past. It was political instability of the board of the NDDC that caused it.”

He also thanked President Tinubu, noting he has “funded the NDDC more than any President since the agency was created.”

Ogbuku also acknowledged the unwavering support of the National Assembly, noting: “The National Assembly has consistently supported us by ensuring the timely passage of our Appropriation Bill, which has enabled us to deliver on our mandate more effectively.”

He noted that the new office represents more than a physical structure; “it is a hub for innovation, transparency, and closer engagement with communities.”

Ogbuku stated: “Today, we celebrate the institutionalisation of the NDDC in Delta State, and we are pleased to see the people of Warri turn out in large numbers to witness this historic occasion. This marks the third state office we have commissioned, starting with Cross River State, followed by Bayelsa, and now Delta State.”

The NDDC Executive Director of Projects, Dr Victor Antai, gave the project brief and explained that the building was fitted with modern facilities. The new office complex is actually a prototype of the one in Rivers State, commissioned on Tuesday, July 12, 2016, by the then Acting Managing Director, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari.

On that occasion, she expressed relief that the NDDC staff in the Rivers State office could work in an elaborate environment deliberately textured for maximum output.

She stated: “As we commission the Rivers State office, we celebrate a significant milestone and our commitment to making a difference in the lives of the people of the Niger Delta region and our staff. We decided to ensure that we exit all rented accommodation at the headquarters and across all the states to enable us to conserve scarce resources, which we should be using to develop our communities.

“The NDDC is transforming the skyline of our host communities for the better. This edifice was designed and completed with the staff in mind. It has provisions for several facilities, including a large reception hall, conference/multi-purpose hall for 250 people, staff canteen, sick bay and offices for drivers on the ground floor. Each of its four floors has ample space for offices.

According to Semenitari, “the Rivers State Office would accommodate about 120 members of staff, with unique office suites for the State Representative and the Director of the state office. Additionally, it includes provisions for key Head Office Directorates. It is indeed a worker’s delight!

I saw that the workers of the Commission needed an office accommodation that would support their specific needs. We soon hit the ground running, tasking both the contractor and the project consultant with an exit date. I concluded that if we must demand absolute service from the Rivers State office workers to the Commission and, by implication, to the people, we must provide them with the tools.

In his goodwill message, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on NDDC, Senator Asuquo Ekpeyong, commended the NDDC Board and Management and urged them not to rest on their oars.

Speaking in a similar vein, the Chairman of the House Committee on NDDC, Hon. Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, congratulated the NDDC management for significantly impacting the lives of Niger Deltans.

For Senator Ned Nwoko, the new office complex “reflects the renewed commitment to efficient service delivery, transparency, and people-centred governance in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

He said: “The new NDDC State Office is more than just a physical structure; it symbolises a stronger and more responsive institution dedicated to driving sustainable development and improving the lives of our people across the Niger Delta.”

Sharing this sentiment, the Chairman of Uvwie Local Government Council, Chief Anthony Ofoni, affirmed that the NDDC’s new structure is a symbol of renewed collaboration between the Federal and State Governments aimed at attracting more development to the state, thereby improving the lives of people at the grassroots.

Agbu is based Warri, Delta State

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