The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has revealed its intention to partner with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited and several other partners towards developing the Niger Delta region.
A statement released via Twitter noted that the plan was disclosed by the NDDC MD, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, during a visit to the NNPC. Part of the statement said:
- “The NDDC MD, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, today led the Commission’s executive management team to the NNPC Ltd to propose a partnership for speedy development of the Niger Delta. Dr Ogbuku, the lead suitor, was accompanied by the Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Major General Charles Airhiavbere, Rtd, and Executive Director, Projects, Mr Charles Ogunmola.
- “The NDDC’S partnership overture to the NNPC comes on the heels of similar moves to get the hands of the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd, Tony Elumelu Foundation, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board and POWERCHINA in a multiple-partner marriage.”
The NDDC's quest for multiple partners is part of its renewed approach to expedite the developmen of the Niger Delta in creative ways, irrespective of funding and liabilities challenges.#NDDC #makingadifference pic.twitter.com/dudU3DSm3t
— NDDC (Niger Delta Development Commission) (@NDDCOnline) February 15, 2023
Addressing challenges: The NDDC in its series of tweets said that the quest to seek partnerships with the NNPC and other organizations previously mentioned is based on the resolution of prevailing challenges, ranging from lack of funding, and liabilities. The NDDC wrote:
- “The NDDC’s quest for multiple partners is part of its renewed approach to expedite the development of the Niger Delta in creative ways, irrespective of funding and liabilities challenges.”
An ineffective development commission: In December 2022, a legal practitioner and the former president of the Movement for the survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), Ledum Mitee, spoke about the supposed ineffectiveness of the NDDC.
Mitee said that Lauretta Onochie, the Chairman of the NDDC, needed to tackle challenges that are associated with the NDDC. He said the commission must set up projects that genuinely benefit the people (locals) of the Niger Delta region.
According to Mitee, established projects under the NDDC need to be conducted diligently so that the people do not only benefit from the projects during the time of commissioning.
He also highlighted that the commission needs to stop being run as a tool for financial misappropriation by politicians in the country.
In case you missed it: In April 2022, Nairametrics reported that Nigeria’s Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) revealed that the Niger Delta Development Commission generated N755.96 billion between 2017 and 2019. However, at the time, NEITI warned that 40 oil and gas companies defaulted in their payment obligation to the commission.
