From Kenechukwu Obiajuru, Yenagoa
The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has extended the sensitization programme for Niger Delta stakeholders on policy reform and the digitization of its procurement system to promote transparency, efficiency and accountability in the Commission to Abia State.
Speaking during the NDDC Procurement Policy Reform and Digitization Stakeholders sensitization and Training Summit in Aba, Abia State, the NDDC Director, Procurement, Dr Chuks Osuji, said the initiative was meant to drive Institutional reforms, strengthen the system, enhance transparency and reposition public sector service delivery for development across the Niger Delta region.
Osuji, who was represented by the NDDC Assistant Director, Procurement, Engr. Freeman Okwurakpo stated that the Commission was committed to driving impactful initiatives to improve the quality of life of the people. He stated, “The sensitization workshop reflects our ongoing efforts to build capacity, Institutional knowledge, and adopt innovative solutions that align with global best practices in governance and service delivery.
Osuji said further: “We believe empowering stakeholders, contractors, and service providers with the right knowledge and resources can accelerate development and create lasting value for our communities.
The obvious consequence of this sensitization workshop is to get stakeholders, contractors and service providers of the Commission to align their procurement operations to the strategic repositioning of the Commission for efficient service delivery.”
“As we go digital in procurement operations and activities in the NDDC, economic revolution beckons on the horizon; our social renaissance as a regional community is at hand. We certainly cannot stop this positive change; we therefore urge you to join us as we move from transactional to transformational service delivery to our people.”
The NDDC Director, Abia State office, Mr Anderson Ukeh, lauded the Commission’s Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, for making it possible for the programme to be held in Abia State. Ukeh said the NDDC was fully digitised and automated through Ogbuku’s efforts, noting that the Commission had moved from transaction to transformation, stating that “It is a new chapter in the NDDC.”
The facilitator for the training and Associate Professor, Department of Procurement Management, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, FUTO, Dr Rex Ugulu, said the initiative aims to educate key stakeholders, which include government officials, private sector partners, Civil society organisations, and the general public, on the benefits and implementation strategies of modernised procurement processes.
According to him, “Central to this reform is the transition from manual, paper-based systems to a fully digital platform that enhances accessibility, reduces delays and minimises opportunities for corruption.”
Ugulu emphasised that digitising the procurement process was not merely a technological upgrade but a critical government reform. He stated, “By embracing digital tools, we are promoting transparency, improving service delivery and ensuring that public resources are managed more responsibly.”
