From Kenechukwu Obiajuru, Yenagoa
The Governor of Cross River State, Senator Bassey Otu, has commended the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, for its development strides in the Niger Delta region, describing its milestone achievements as being in tandem with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government.
Governor Otu made the commendation during a courtesy visit by members of the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on NDDC at the Government House in Calabar. The lawmakers were in the state for an oversight inspection of the emergency repairs on the Calabar-Odukpani-Akamkpa-Ogoja road.
The National Assembly members were led by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on NDDC, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong and the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on NDDC, Hon. Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu.
Addressing the delegation, which included the NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, Governor Otu remarked that the existing synergy between the state government and the Commission has changed the face of the Niger Delta.
He further attributed the Niger Delta’s steady progress to President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, stating: “I commend President Tinubu for his resolve in empowering NDDC to face the daunting challenges confronting the region.”
Otu said further: “If you ask the ordinary people on the streets of the Niger Delta, they will tell you there are positive impacts on the ground.”
He expressed satisfaction that the team had inspected the road alignment before the courtesy visit, which he said gave them ample opportunity to make a fair judgment.
Earlier in his address, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong informed the governor that the committees were in the state to carry out their oversight functions. He lauded the governor for his developmental strides in the state.
He said, “The governor last year called for the rehabilitation of the Calabar-Odukpani-Akamkpa Ogoja road, and I’m happy to inform your excellency that this dream is now a reality.”
He outlined the value of the road, including its role as a corridor for the transportation of petroleum products, agricultural produce, and solid minerals that are abundant in the state.
In her remarks during the courtesy visit, Hon. Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu hailed the governor for his attention to detail. She applauded Governor Otu’s contributions to national development.
Earlier, at the project inspection site, the NDDC Managing Director, Dr Ogbuku, described the road as a trans-regional corridor for the South-South, South-East, and North-Central zones of the country.
“This road will transform the lives of the people of the Niger Delta by contributing to its development. This prompted President Tinubu’s directive to the NDDC to rehabilitate it immediately. This is a clear demonstration of Mr President’s love for the people of the region,” Ogbuku stated.
According to him, phases 1 and 2, measuring 27.5 km, have been completed, while others are on course to be completed soon. “This is a new NDDC that starts and finishes projects to the excitement of various road users,” he said.
The Managing Director stated that the Commission was complementing the efforts of the state governments, noting that its public-private partnership model was paying off through the construction, completion, and commissioning of the Ogbia-Nembe Road.
In his remarks during the courtesy visit, Ogbuku recognised the cooperation between the Commission and the governors of Niger Delta states, and briefed the governor on the level of progress achieved.
“We will leverage the cordial relationship between the Commission and the various state governments. We have fully transformed from transaction to transformation,” he remarked.
The NDDC Executive Director, Projects, Dr Victor Antai, while noting that the rehabilitation project was key to easy vehicular movement for the South-South, South-East, and the North, pointed out that NDDC had done well for the people of the Niger Delta region.
Also, the contractor, Michael Asuquo, commended the Commission for listening to the people’s cries and reassured the Commission of his ability to deliver quality work timeously.
