13 Years After, NDDC Inaugurates Multi-Million Naira Delta Office With Assurance of Completing Legacy Projects in Niger Delta
Sylvester Idowu in Warri
The multi-million-naira Delta State office of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was yesterday inaugurated with an assurance that all legacy projects in the region will be completed in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive.
With the completion of the building located at Edjeba, Warri, in Warri South Local Government, which was initiated about 13 years ago, has put paid to the interventionist agency’s resort to use of rented apartments in the state.
Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborewvori, while inaugurating the edifice, called on the NDDC to partner with the state governments in rehabilitating critical federal roads across the region.
While noting that the edifice symbolises shared commitment to development, inclusion, and service delivery, he emphasised that true progress requires collaboration and renewed dedication to improving infrastructure, education, healthcare and empowerment.
Oborevwori urged the commission to focus on fixing failed roads that have caused untold hardship to commuters noting that Delta had already approved N35.7 billion for the reconstruction of the Warri/Sapele/Benin Road by Effurun Roundabout, from Spare Parts Market, to after Ohore Junction, an essential link connecting Delta to Bayelsa, Rivers, and Cross River states.
The governor expressed readiness to partner NDDC on the Omadino–Okerenkoko–Escravos Road and other major projects revealing that a joint meeting between the state government, Chevron and the commission would hold early next month to outline next steps.
He commended the Managing Director of NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, for his leadership and commitment to development describing the new office as a mark of institutional stability and renewed purpose.
Oborevwori also lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his Renewed Hope Agenda, saying it has strengthened state finances, fostered inclusivity and restored public confidence in governance.
“No state in Nigeria pays contractors faster than we do in Delta. We are not borrowing and we owe no contractor,” he affirmed, pledging continued transparency and accountability in his administration.
Minister of Niger Delta Development, Abubakar Momoh, said President Tinubu directed the NDDC to complete all abandoned projects in the region, many of which have now been completed and inaugurated.
He cited the successes such as the restoration of electricity in Okitipupa after 15 years of blackout, the construction of key bridges and substations, and the launch of health and education projects across several states.
The minister urged NDDC staff to maintain newly built facilities and remain non-partisan, reaffirming that the commission serves all Niger Delta communities equally.
Chairman of NDDC Governing Board, Mr. Chiedu Ebie, and Managing Director, Dr. Ogbuku, both reaffirmed their readiness to collaborate with Delta and other Niger Delta states in delivering sustainable development.
Ebie noted that the 7th Governing Board, appointed by President Tinubu, had strengthened governance by adopting a new transparency framework developed with KPMG.
Ogbuku described the new Delta office as part of the commission’s transition “from transactions to transformation,” with similar projects underway across the region.
He disclosed ongoing collaborations with the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) on N650 billion worth of infrastructure projects, including bridges and roads, while assuring that the NDDC remains committed to accountability, partnership, and timely completion of legacy projects that will transform the lives of Niger Deltans.
The ceremony was attended by Chairman Senate Committee on NDDC, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong and Chairman House Committee on NDDC, Hon. Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, among others.
