NDDC CONDUCTS BOARD AND MANAGEMENT RETREAT, PLOTTING NOVEL TRAJECTORY FOR NIGER DELTA DEVELOPMENT

The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has initiated its Board and Management Retreat in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State. The two-day Retreat, themed “Renewed Hope: A New Era of Vitality, Peace, and Development,” aims to establish a fresh roadmap for the NDDC in alignment with the Renewed Hope agenda of the President Tinubu-led federal government.
The NDDC Board and Management Retreat hold significant importance on the Commission’s schedule, often marking the inception of new agendas and pathways for the development of the oil-rich Niger Delta region.
Convened in the historic city of Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, for the two-day program are notable figures including the Akwa Ibom State Deputy Governor, Senator Akon Eyakenyi; Minister of Niger Delta Development, Abubakar Momoh; Chairman of the NDDC Governing Board, Chiedu Ebie; NDDC Managing Director, Mr. Samuel Ogbuku; Executive Directors, other members of the NDDC Board, as well as members of the National Assembly and stakeholders from the region.
Amidst the prevailing economic challenges facing the Niger Delta and Nigeria at large, the NDDC asserts that this Retreat, themed “Renewed Hope: A New Era of Vitality, Peace, and Development,” is timely, aligning with the renewed hope agenda of the President.
For the NDDC Managing Director, ensuring flexible financial inflows into the Commission, particularly statutory allocations, necessitates a review of the NDDC’s status within the Treasury Single Account (TSA) framework.
In his keynote address, the Minister of Niger Delta Development charges the NDDC to uphold its mandate of delivering sustainable development, stressing adherence to existing guidelines governing federal government agencies and parastatals. The Akwa Ibom State Deputy Governor advocates for increased collaboration with State Governments in the region.
Keynote speakers, including former NDDC Managing Director Timi Alaibe, advocate for heightened community engagement and a reassessment of the NDDC’s implementation plans.
At the conclusion of the retreat, the NDDC Board and Management are expected to formalize a Performance Bond with the Minister of Niger Delta Development. The Commission asserts that its ten-point Renewed Hope Vision sets the stage for the effective implementation