EFCC Boss Commissions NDDC Projects In Bayelsa *Gov Diri Hails Tinubu, NDDC Performance, Wants More FG Support
By Inegbagha Majesty
The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr Olanipekun Olukoyede on Tuesday commissioned Niger Delta Development Commission’s (NDDC) Projects in Bayelsa state.
Speaking during the event, EFCC boss expressed satisfaction over the judicious utilization of the funds, promising further release of more funds recovered from past administrations of the interventionist agency.
He said: “I have come to identify with this project and good governance in NDDC. I have come to identify with accountability and transparency, judicious use of resources which is within my mandate. By virtue of the recovery we have made, this NDDC project was made possible and other projects that are also in the offing.
“The NDDC Boss was able to convince me of the transformation he was bound to bring to NDDC, so what I’m seeing in the past two years has actually convinced me that this man knows what he is doing.”
He assured the Niger Delta Development Commission of the release of more recovered funds recovered on behalf of the commission.
Olukoyede described the NDDC as a “renewed and transformed government agency.” He assured that the EFCC would do everything to recover all outstanding statutory contributions due to the NDDC from oil companies.
He noted, “We have made several recoveries on behalf of the NDDC, and we will not relent in this direction. We are encouraged by the fact that the NDDC is making the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government a reality in the Niger Delta region.”
In his speech, the Governor of the state, Senator Douye Diri expressed deep appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for awarding contract for the 2nd Phase of Nembe - Brass road.
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| Governor of the state, Senator Douye Diri |
He also appealed to the President Tinubu lead federal government to also take over the completion of the 2nd Phase of Bayelsa Central and West Senatorial roads which he said, all lead to the Atlantic Ocean, stating emphatically the important of the roads to opening up the marine riches of the state and Nigerian.
" We have three senatorial district roads all leading to the Atlantic Ocean. And all of these, the state government is doing and playing her role. As we took on phase one of the Nembe - Brass road, and the federal government step in on phase two, we are taking on the Central Senatorial District which is a bridge of 600 metres long across River Nun. And that bridge will be completed by the end of this year to Oporoma the headquarters of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area" he stated.
He commended Chief(Dr) Samuel Ogbuku, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, other Management and the Board of NDDC for the projects commissioned in the state.
“I want to believe that in this state, we are one and the same people. We are the only homogeneous Ijaw state in Nigeria.”
He said there are no other ethnic groups in Bayelsa State, maintaining that there was a need to support one another.
“In Bayelsa, there are no other ethnic groups, it is only one ethnic group. We may have different clans, but we are all one and the same people.
“Politics should not divide us and tear us apart. Politics should be an avenue to attract development to Bayelsa State. Each of us, wherever we find ourselves, thinks of what you will attract to the state. It is a state that is in need of development, and I believe that the MD of NDDC and every other Bayelsan in any level you find yourself is doing and will continue to help to develop the state.”
Commenting on the IDP Camp commissioned at Otiokpoti, he commended NDDC and asked that it be replicated in all the local governments.
He said, “I’m grateful, that is a good project. That is a project that anyone from the state can ask, can we do that in all our local government areas, because we all know what happens annually when we have this perennial flood.
“Most times, our people are displaced, so if it were possible, this IDP camp would have been built virtually in all our local government areas. That intervention by NDDC is also key and very acceptable to the government of Bayelsa State.
“Generally, all of us from the Niger Delta have similar issues of flooding, erosion, pollution, and we must work hand in glove to ensure that our region is free of most of these challenges.”
He said that those challenges can be countered when there is unity.
“Those of us at the national, continue to look into the issues within your own space, working in partnership with other levels of government. There is no state governor who will not want a partner to work with. “There is no state governor—rather, they are wooing national partners and international partners. Any state government that wants development must work with the federal government and with international organisations, and that is the only way to attract funding and other benefits to your state government.”
He upheld that is what Bayelsa State has set out to do under his watch.
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| NDDC Bayelsa State permanent office in Yenagoa. |
He stated: “The NDDC is setting standards for good performance in the region. I advise the regional development agencies to emulate the Commission in delivering projects to the people.”
The Minister said, “I am pleased that the NDDC is doing very well, which is in line with President Tinubu’s directives. I thank the President and members of the National Assembly for enabling the NDDC to operate efficiently.”
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| Renewed Hope Multi-Purpose Training Centre in Otuokpoti, Ogbia Local Government Area |
Ebie, sad: “We thank our stakeholders for their support and encouragement, which has boosted our desire to ensure that we give them what they deserve. We also appreciate the support and partnership of the state governments in several areas.
He stated that the Commission was determined to partner with the governors of Niger Delta states to ensure that the oil-producing states enjoy sustainable development.
Also speaking, the NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, restated the commitment of the Commission to the mandate given to the Commission by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to change the narrative in Nigeria’s oil-producing region. Ogbuku affirmed that the Commission was engaging all stakeholders to ensure harmony and cooperation in the task of developing the Niger Delta region.
He observed that the Multi-Purpose Training Centre, which was completed in record time, was a partnership between the EFCC and the NDDC, as the anti-crime agency had recovered the funds that facilitated the project’s execution.
Ogbuku observed that the facility, which could accommodate 1,000 persons, represented a significant step toward empowering local communities through skills development and inclusive growth.
He explained: “We have similar facilities currently under construction in Odi, Bayelsa State, while the ones in Delta State are being built in Patani and Ozorro and another two in Rivers State.”
Ogbuku stated, “We are committed to implementing the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government in the Niger Delta region.
“We remain dedicated to the mandate given to the NDDC by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to change the narrative in Nigeria’s oil-producing region.”
The NDDC Executive Director of Projects, Sir Victor Antai, provided a brief overview of the project, explaining that it was awarded in 2023.
He noted that the facilities at the training centre consisted of essential amenities, including a school, hospital, cafeteria, police post, and recreation centre, which would provide comprehensive support for skills training and accommodation in emergencies.
In his goodwill message, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on NDDC, Senator Asuquo Ekpeyong, thanked President Tinubu for his commitment to the progress of the Niger Delta through the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Members of the National Assembly remain committed to ensuring effective oversight of the NDDC’s operations. Our collective goal is to see the Commission fulfil its mandate and drive sustainable development across the Niger Delta region.”
" We have three senatorial district roads all leading to the Atlantic Ocean.
And all of these, the state government is doing and playing her role. As we took on phase one of the Nembe - Brass road, and the federal government step in on phase two, we are taking on the Central Senatorial District which is a bridge of 600 metres long across River Nun. And that bridge will be completed by the end of this year to Oporoma the headquarters of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area" he stated.
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