Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, says governors of the nine oil producing states are partnering the Niger Development Commission (NDDC) for sustainable development of the nation.
Uzodimma disclosed this while briefing newsmen after a meeting with the governors of the oil producing states and the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission in Abuja.
The governor said that the meeting was to provide synergy with the governing council, the governing board and advisory board of the NDDC for the betterment of Nigerians.
“We looked at so many issues; issues of projects; abandoned projects; ongoing projects and also brainstormed on how best we can through that collaboration, advance the course of progress in the commission,” he said.
On abandoned projects, Uzodimma recalled that the former government under Muhammadu Buhari set up a Policy Coordinating Committee which identified so many projects that were suffering from funding problems.
“Of course, this new board, walking with President Bola Tinubu has risen to the occasion and they are working out ways and means to ensure that those projects are completed. Also speaking, Managing Director of the NDDC, Samuel Ogbuku, said that the governors had pledged to support the board and management of the commission.
He said: “NDDC does not have a geographical location. It is the state governments that have boundaries. So whatever projects we are embarking on are in the states.
“So, we have to work with the state governments to ensure that we achieve optimal results.”
Ogbuku said that Tinubu was very committed to ensuring that all the ongoing and abandoned projects in the region were completed.
“The President has given us a matching order that he wants to commission projects, landmark projects in the region in the next two years. So we are looking at completing most of these projects within the period of two years,” he said.
On the East-West road, Ogbuku said that the commission was giving the Federal Ministry of Works every support to ensure that the project was completed.
“The East-West road is a Federal Government project. It’s not under NDDC. But, we are actually giving the ministry of works every support to ensure that the project is completed,” added.
Earlier, the Forum of the Governors of the Oil Producing States had elected Uzodimma as its Chairman, Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa as Vice Chairman while Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River emerged as Secretary. (NAN)
