NDDC woos Niger-Delta youths, as it gets set to open multi-billion-naira head office

• Distributes 36 disposal trucks, 162 waste bins to member-states
• Items laid waste at commission’s Port Harcourt warehouse

Effiong Akwa, the interim administrator of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is seeking tacit cooperation from the youth of the oil region as a common front for peace and development of the Niger Delta region.

He was speaking to leaders of all youth groups in all the 23 local government councils of Rivers State, saying that the commission’s new interim leadership was particularly in quest for cooperation from the young people, so as to ensure that the needed development of the oil region was not hindered.

Akwa informed the youth groups of the inauguration this month of the NDDC multi-billion-naira 13-floor head-office complex at the Eastern By-Pass, Port Harcourt, which had been under construction for about 20 years.

The NDDC headquarters complex is sited on a partly reclaimed land acquired by the defunct Oil Minerals Producing Areas Development Commission (OMPADEC), which metamorphosed into the NDDC in October 2000.

The interim administrator urged the youths to embrace peace for the continued growth and progress of the region, emphasizing that there was need to adopt peaceful methods to build development projects.

Akwa said President Muhammadu Buhari was eager to address the challenges facing the Niger Delta region, noting that the minister of Niger Delta Affairs, GodswillAkpabio, with a track record of uncommon transformation, was driving the president’s plans for the region.

“Our permanent headquarters building that has been under construction for many years has now been completed, and we thank Mr. President and Senator Akpabio for this achievement.  The youths will be able to witness live streaming and broadcast of the commissioning ceremony in February,” the NDDC interim administrator said.

The chairman of the Niger Delta Youth Movement, Rivers State chapter, Austin OkparaIjeoma, assured the NDDC boss that the youth groups in the region would support the commission in its development efforts by embracing peace and unity.

Meanwhile, the NDDC interim administrator, Akwa, has ordered the immediate distribution of 36 waste disposal trucks, 162 waste bins and two boat ambulances to the nine Niger Delta states. The items were lying waste at the commission’s warehouse at Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt.

He directed that the waste disposal trucks be delivered to the relevant ministries of environment in the nine Niger Delta states by today, Monday. He frowned why the equipment were lying waste at the warehouse, when they could have been put to good use, saying it was unacceptable.

He ordered the equipment to be shared according to oil production output of the states, beginning with the big four: AkwaIbom, Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers states.

In the same vein, he directed that the two boat ambulances at the warehouse be immediately allocated to Rivers and AkwaIbom state governments to enhance healthcare delivery in the riverine areas of the states.