From Seyi Tayese, Yenagoa
Niger Delta ex-agitators have hailed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for ignoring campaigns of calumny sponsored by some enemies of the region to derail the vision of the Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr Samuel Ogbuku.
The pioneer Secretary, First Phase Ex-Agitators, Nature Dumale Kieghe, praised President Tinubu for rather choosing to support Ogbuku’s vision, which he said was in line with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda for the region.
Kieghe, who is also the immediate past Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Communication Committee said Ogbuku’s administration initiated and executed the Light-Up Niger Delta Project designed to renew the hope of rural dwellers including aged mothers, fathers and grandparents.
He said Ogbuku was also renewing the hope of the youths in the region through massive youth empowerment programmes including its newly launched Youth Internship Scheme in which 10,000 youths were being paid N50,000 monthly stipends.
Kieghe further observed that under Ogbuku the NDDC had approached the infrastructural needs of the region with dexterity speeding up the completion and inauguration of many life-changing projects such as the Ogbia-Nembe Road, electricity, school, health projects as well as skill acquisition centers across the region.
He said the region was also happy that Ogbuku was connecting many displaced communities by various road infrastructures in the spirit of the Renewed Hope Agenda describing the determination of Ogbuku and the board to complete the Bonny Ring Road and bridges as legendary.
He said Ogbuku had also renewed the hope of NDDC workers and other stakeholders of the commission by providing befitting and comfortable accomodations and offices in many member states.
Kieghe said: ” As critical stakeholders, we want to appreciate Mr President for not listening to the enemies of Niger Delta region, who wanted to stop the vision of our leader and brother, Dr. Sam Ogbuku, the CEO of NDDC.
“Today we have proved those Niger Delta people, who felt that he had no plan for the region wrong. We have proved those who felt that Ogbuku was not capable of delivering the vision of NDDC to the Niger Delta people wrong.
“Just take Ogbuku’s project light up Niger Delta for example. Nearly every community in Niger Delta region today has a solar light in their area and this initiative has brought so much joy to the communities.
“This is one project in the history of NDDC that has addressed the needs of our aged mothers, brothers and sisters at the rural areas that don’t even know where NDDC office is located. This needs assessment has provided light for them and today they identify with what the NDDC is doing in the region.
“Mr. President we thank you for listening to us not to allow anybody convince you to stop the vision of Ogbuku. Through him we have the skill acquisition programmes. One of them the Youth Internship Scheme is paying stipends to 10,000 youths monthly.
Through Ogbuku’s vision, many infrastructural projects such as the Ogbia-Nembe Road, school, health,.skill acquisition centre projects among others have been completed and inaugurated. We have seen the MD inaugurating liaison offices. In the history of the Niger Delta several states have not had offices they could go to and lodge their complaints.
“Today nearly all the states have liaison offices. The MD and the board have achieved a lot in a record time. We thank the MD for bringing the renewed hope Agenda to the people of the Niger Delta. The MD has also given our youths scholarship opportunities to be trained in Nigeria and outside the country. This is an achievement that will further take young men out of the streets”.
Kieghe called on all stakeholders of the Niger Delta to keep supporting Ogbuku and the board to enable them deliver more credible and people-oriented projects.
“If every other MD had performed the way Ogbuku had done, the Niger Delta would have experienced more development. As we celebrate this anniversary, we call on the youths and other critical stakeholders to give their support to this administration because we know that without peace there would be no development”, he said.
While passing vote of confidence in Ogbuku and the board, Kieghe warned enemies of the Niger delta to desist from trying to bring Ogbuku down.
He said: “We pass a vote of confidence in Ogbuku and his team and pray God to grant them the needed wisdom to keep transforming the region. We advise those in the business of causing confusion; crisis merchants and those planning to sabotage what he is doing to desist and embrace dialogue”.
