NDDC projects: Tinubu improving lives in Niger Delta — Tony Okocha

The Rivers State representative on the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Tony Okocha has said President Bola Tinubu is working hard through the Commission to promote development in the Niger Delta, and Nigeria at large.

This is as he also urged those planning the nationwide protest to give peace a chance and allow the President to focus on developing the nation.

He made the declaration during the inspection of projects in five upland and riverine communities of state being carried out by the Rivers State office of the NDDC.

While noting the developmental impact of the projects on the benefitting rural population, Okocha stated that the projects were earmarked for each community in line with the NEEDS assessment of the area.

He emphasised the determination of the NDDC board, led by Chiedu Ebie as Chairman and Dr Samuel Ogbuku as Managing Director, to ensure the commission embarked on projects that have meaningful impact on the people.

He said the NDDC projects were products of the President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda, as he called on Nigerians to shun a nationwide protest planned by unidentified persons.

Some of the projects inspected by Okocha included the 10,000 gallons water treatment plant at Soku in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area, Corpers’ Lodge at Rundele (Emohua LGA), units of 3- and 2-bedroom bungalows for the principal and teachers at the secondary school in Umuechem (Etche LGA), road rehabilitation and construction of a town hall at Nkpolu Rumuigbo (Obio/Akpor LGA) and an over 1,300-sitter pavilion at Degema (Degema LGA).

Speaking on the planned #Endbadgovernance protest, Okocha noted that though protest was legal, Nigerians should not give opportunity to those with negative tendency to hijack the protest and turn it into a looting spree.

He stressed that development cannot take place in an atmosphere of conflict and rancour, and urged Nigerians to allow Tinubu concentrate on delivering good governance.

A member of the Soku community, Dr Otiasah Christian Livingstone, said the community “cannot be tired of thanking NDDC, particularly the present board. The NDDC has been instrumental in alleviating the pains of Soku community.”

He said the importance of the water project cannot be over-emphasised given that “Soku is known to be plagued with perennial cholera outbreak,” adding that “the reasons for it is not far-fetched. All the drivers of cholera are well here. The water we have here have never been good.”

Livingstone thanked the NDDC board and state representative for coming to the aid of the community during the recent outbreak.

HRH Eze Damian Ejiohuo, Eze Rundele Nogbo, Eze Sampson Emu, Ochimba/Paramount Ruler of Umuechem and the Umuechem Community Development Committee chairman, Agbam ThankGod, speaking separately, expressed gratitude to NDDC for embarking on the various projects for their communities.

The Umuechem CDC chairman, who claimed the community “had not seen any government project, despite having about 53 oil wells, thanked NDDC for providing for the accommodation needs of the school’s teaching staff.

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