Delta State Governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, yesterday, assured the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) of robust partnership in delivering mega projects that would improve the lives of Deltans.
Governor Oborevwori gave the assurance when he received the Managing Director of the NDDC, Dr Sam Ogbuku and his team at the Government House in Asaba, Delta State Capital.
The Governor, frowning at the litany of abandoned NDDC projects in the state and the region, expressed the readiness of his administration to partner with the interventionist agency to complete some of the projects and execute new ones.
While commending Ogbuku for his innovations to make the NDDC more transparent and accountable to the region’s people, he called for stakeholders’ engagements to align with the development plans.
“There are abandoned projects and I am happy you mentioned them here. We have completed some of those projects. Also, the Bomadi road, there is one of the bridges there, we went and did it; that was last year.
“And even when you are talking about Sector C 2, which is from Ughelli to Asaba, it is a federal road but we are doing it. The DSC and Effurun roundabouts are all federal roads but we are doing them.
“We engaged Julius Berger for those projects because we are the ones using the roads even though they are federal roads. Other people that are coming are just visitors. So, you must make your place good for people to pass.
“The issue of partnership is very key. Not only partnering with the multi-nationals but also, partnership with the state is very good.
“When the NDDC is on the same page with the governors of the Niger Delta, we will be able to plan and see what you people want to do so that when we are doing our budgets, we will know what to budget for. Not that we budget for something and the NDDC will also budget for the same thing; it becomes a problem.
“So, we will continue to partner to move our region forward. We must do something that we should be remembered for. This will be service to both our people and the nation,” he said.
Governor Oborevwori also tasked the NDDC with effective monitoring of its projects to ensure that the people get value for their money.
Earlier, Dr Ogbuku said he was in Delta to discuss issues of mutual benefits between NDDC and the Delta State Government, adding that as the largest oil-producing state in the country, Delta would have a large portion of the recently passed NDDC budget.
Dr. Ogbuku further appealed to the Delta State Government for partnership with the Commission and Chevron for the construction of the Omadino-Okerenkoko-Escravos Road and bridges, adding that when completed, it will help improve the economy of Delta State.
