…greets NDDC boss on birthday
President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday acknowledged the importance of the Niger Delta region to the economic development of Nigeria.
The president said that the region was central to the energy and environmental future of the country.
Tinubu said this during the 50th birthday ceremony of the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr Samuel Ogbuku, on Tuesday in Abuja, where two books – ‘Strategies and imperatives for developing the Niger Delta region’, and ‘Rethinking the Niger Delta’, authored by the celebrant, were unveiled.
The president, who was represented by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr Wale Edun, said the region had experienced great transformation under the leadership of Dr Ogbuku, led by NDDC.
Edun said, “It is the economic heartbeat of this country, and it’s central to the energy and environmental future. For decades, the story has been difficult. It has been complex, very rich in resources on land and water, but with serious challenges all the way. His Excellency, Mr. President, is telling us his reforms focus on transparency and accountability, resources, investment in infrastructure and human capital, and, of course, empowering communities at the grassroots so they can have a sustainable future.
“When we reflect on the Niger Delta, it’s more than a region, and earlier, we had a history of development in the Niger Delta, way back to colonial times.”
Tinubu charged the NDDC MD “to continue to champion the transformation of NDDC, an agency that delivers impact, and projects that touch lives, empower youth in your own words as Managing Director, and congratulate you on the two books you have launched.”
President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, while felicitating with the celebrant, said it was not easy to manage the region.
Akpabio, who was Minister of Niger Delta Affairs under the administration of late President Muhammadu Buhari, said, “It’s not easy to manage the Niger Delta at all. It’s not easy to manage the NDDC. NDDC was a place where contracts were given in hotels, where people would sit down and write names of creeks and names of rivers, and then they would come for payments.
“Some of them never even visited the rivers, but the papers were all complete, but so, for us to come and celebrate you today, we are not celebrating just a mere celebration, we are celebrating God’s goodness to the good people of the Niger Delta through the management of NDDC today.
“I’m here to represent the National Assembly, and we are very proud of you. We are very proud of what you are doing.”
Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, represented by the Speaker, Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Abraham Ingobere, described Dr Ogbuku as a visionary leader who has transformed the image of NDDC.
Diri said, “Today, we are not just celebrating a milestone, but we are also celebrating a man who has seriously contributed to the development of the Niger Delta region. On behalf of the Governor, I want to sincerely appreciate you for all you have done in the region. We applaud your landmark achievements, your visionary leadership style, which are very laudable and the testimonies everywhere, both from the public and the NDDC. Your achievements are very loud.
“You are being described as a man who is very open to the youth, elderly, a man who is hardworking, decent, and we are very happy to have somebody who recognises the progress of the Niger Delta region, and today we are very happy that you are celebrating your 50th birthday and book launch.
“The Bayelsa State Government is working closely with the Commission, and despite the challenges you have faced, you are working dedicatedly, and within this period you have led NDDC we have seen a lot of projects littered across the Niger Delta region, and we are grateful and reaffirm our commitment to work with you as the leader of NDDC, members of the board and other stakeholders to ensure that we build a working region.”
The celebrant recalled how he grew up and his political travails, and where he is today, said his parents, success and political mentors were behind his success.
Ogbuku commended his parents for believing in him and giving him the best of training and discipline to become who he is today.
“I thank God for what I am, courtesy of my parents, because both my mum and dad were disciplinarians; they were teachers, and with support from others and society, who have moulded and shaped me into who I am today.
“We believed in our teachers, and I give special tribute to all of them. I started politics when I was in my final year in university, when I was the President of Bayelsa State Students.”
He also promised to give his best to ensure the holistic development of the Niger Delta region, while he specially thanked President Tinubu for giving him the opportunity and support to positively impact the lives of the people of the region.
He appealed to the Governors of the region to synergise with the Commission to seamlessly transform the lives of the people in the region.
Dignitaries who attended the event included Akpabio, Diri, Governor of Ondo, Lucky Ayedayiwa, Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Christopher Musa, former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva, Chairman of Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Dr Godknows Igali, Former Chairman of NDDC, Timi Alaibe, among others.
