NDDC’s 2024 Performance: From A  Bird’s-Eye  View, by Jerome-Mario Utomi

The most celebrated quote about time and season comes from the Christian Holy Book, the Bible. Ecclesiastes Chapter three verses one states that “there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance…”

In tandem with the above Biblical admonition, it is my candid view that the cusp of 2025 appears most appropriate to peep into the 2024 activities of Mr. Chiedu Ebie led governing board and management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

For those that have been following the trend, the Minister for the defunct Niger Delta Development (MNDD), Engr. Abubakar Momoh, had in November 2023, inaugurated the new Governing Board of the Niger Development Commission (NDDC) with a charge to have on their fingertips, the Eight-Point Presidential Priorities that would guide them in the execution of their mandate and ultimately giving the Niger Delta and its people the desired new lease of life in terms of socio- economic and infrastructural development. He had told members of the new Board that their appointment came with octane expectations by the people of the region, expressing grit optimism about the new board’s ability to deliver.

Niger Deltans’ heightened optimism and expectations that the new NDDC Board will perform were conditioned by the antecedents of its members who had been tasked with ensuring that the Commission facilitated the rapid, even and sustainable development and transformation of the region into an economically prosperous, socially stable, ecologically regenerative and politically peaceful sub national.

One year down the line, the observations are heart-warming: First and very fundamental, in addition to being intentional in facilitating the rapid and sustainable development of the Niger Delta region and having demonstrated unwavering commitment in this regard, there is consensus among critical stakeholders that the greatest achievement of the present NDDC’s leadership is the prevailing peace and harmony in the region as can be gleaned from the relationship between the board and management, as well as the creation of leadership ideology that supports paradigm shift and promotes a government that is more responsive to the people.

Says a public affairs analyst and keen follower of events in the Niger Delta: “The governing board and management, have, to the admiration of all, avoided internal conflicts that plagued previous administrations at the NDDC. And from all indication, there will be no misunderstanding, no strife, and no internal wars between the Managing Director and the Chairman. I believe that this current NDDC board will be the best. Barrister Chiedu Ebie comes from a noble home and has the capacity, ability, and vision to lead the Niger Delta to the next level”.

Aside the purpose-driven leadership with the ability to navigate the complex challenges facing the region which Ebie has brought to bear on NDDC, what is also working in favour of the governing board and management in the past one year is their leadership style anchored on singleness of purpose and deep knowledge of governance and of the region’s developmental needs.

Keen watchers of the going ons in the NDDC would admit that it is obvious that singleness of purpose so far demonstrated by the Commission’s leadership and management has set the stage for socio economic prosperity, social stability, ecological regeneration, and political peace ushered into the region in the past one year. Indeed, going by the achievements recorded by the governing board and management since mounting the saddle, particularly the well-articulated thematic programmes and initiatives, I am of the opinion that the euphoria which greeted their appointment cannot be described as misplaced or misguided.

These policies, programmes and initiatives include: Building partnerships; project hope for renewed hope; lighting up the Niger Delta; carbon emission reduction; sustainable livelihoods; stakeholder engagement; improved youth capacity and skills base; effective and professional workforce; efficient and cost-effective projects; improved peace and security and so on.

Worthy of note is the awareness that these policy thrusts and programmes coming from the new governing board and management of the agency, amply qualifies as development-based, as they entail all-encompassing improvement, a process that builds on itself and involves both individuals and social change, growth and structural change, with measures of distributive equity, modernization in social and cultural attitudes, a degree of political transformation and stability, an improvement in health and education so that population growth stabilizes, and an increase in urban living and employment.

In the areas of democratized infrastructural provisions, the governing board and management have to their credits, well-completed big ticket projects that include but not limited to the nationally celebrated 132KV transmission line and 132KV/33KV substation in Ode Erinje, Okitipupa, Ondo State, built by the Commission, ending 15 years of blackout at Ondo South Senatorial District; as well as the 25.7km single carriage Ogbia-Nembe road project connecting 14 riverine communities with 53 culverts and seven bridges, among others.

Another action by the Commission that qualifies as a right step taken in the right direction was its 2024 budget, as passed. The budget uniquely focused on critical infrastructural provisions, adopting a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model to drive sustainable development in the Niger Delta, collaborating with the Niger Delta Chamber of Commerce, Trade, Mines, and Agriculture, as well as various organizations and state governments, to enhance regional development. One must also note that the 2024 Budget of the Commission passed through the due process of the National Assembly. Thus giving the new Board and Management, the leverage to perform and the benchmark to be evaluated.

It is of a fact that if there is any area that Niger Deltans had all these years, desired to see improvement in, it is in the areas of infrastructural provision, particularly lighting up of Niger Delta region and human capital development through youth empowerment/job creation. The current Governing Board and Management have met this desire and exceeded it to the admiration of all. Indeed, they have performed superlatively in the past one year. Empowerment, for instance, has strategically assuaged the proliferation of youth restiveness – a threat which was more likely among the large army of professionally trained ex-agitators currently without a job. This effort in youth empowerment becomes even more evident when one remembers the recent news report that the Commission has registered 3.2 million youths in its Holistic Opportunities Programmes for Engagement, Project HOPE, since the first phase of the programme, which was launched on July 4, 2023.

The Commission recorded similar landmark achievements in the agricultural sector. The agency promoted programmes that guarantee food security and agricultural growth in multi-sectoral areas as a way of improving the living standards of the people. Based on understanding that for any socio-economic development to take place, there is a need to develop manpower in the agricultural sector, the present governing board and management prioritized training, capable of improving both the socio-economic lives and promoting peace in the region in line with President Ahmed Bola Tinubu Renewed Hope Agenda of developing capacity.

In education, the Commission’s leadership has in the last one year awarded scholarships to 400 successful candidates from the region to pursue Master Degrees overseas, a programme which of course is an important component of the agency’s human capital development that seeks to use education to change the fortunes of the region.

Aside from the high-level transparency which branded the process, and made it possible for most of the beneficiaries to be those who never knew anyone from the NDDC or anyone who works there, this unique outcome and other positive vibes recently coming out from the agency, have significantly made Deltans to hastily but rightly conclude that NDDC has finally gotten a board with the understanding that it is their duty to serve our communities and embrace its aspirations, both now and in the future, by assuring the people economic growth, education, health, security, stability, comfort, leisure opportunities and freedom in ways that will allow for the most conducive atmosphere to achieve the targets that will guarantee our welfare and a bright future.

Essentially, for those in the know, the latest development and unprecedented achievement in the last one year in the region may not come as a surprise. Rather, it exemplifies a honest governing board and management in total compliance with the directives of Minister of the defunct Ministry of Niger Delta Development (MNDD), Engr. Abubakar Momoh as stated at the beginning of this piece.

For me, from all ramifications, 2024 remains a good year for the region and its people!

Utomi,  a Media Specialist Writes From Lagos, Nigeria. He could be reached via: Jeromeutomi@yahoo.com or 08032725374