The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has emphasised the importance of Alternative Dispute Resolution, ADR, in ensuring timely resolution of disputes for effective project delivery and sustainable development in the Niger Delta region.
Speaking at the opening of a three-day sensitisation programme for Contractors and Consultants in Port Harcourt, the NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, said disagreements could arise during project execution, but what mattered was how quickly and professionally they were resolved.
The Managing Director, represented by the Executive Director, Corporate Services, Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde, said Alternative Dispute Resolution was important because every project was more than a contract, stressing that when conflicts stalled projects, the consequences extended beyond contractors and the NDDC to the people waiting for development.
According to him, unresolved disputes could delay project completion, increase costs, and strain relationships among the NDDC, contractors, consultants, and host communities.
“We want our contractors and consultants to understand that you are not merely participants in project execution; you are also critical first responders in conflict management. You are often closest to the projects, closest to the community and closest to emerging issues,” Ogbuku stated.
Ogbuku noted that preventing conflicts, resolving disputes early and successfully delivering projects would contribute to a more peaceful, productive and prosperous Niger Delta.
He urged the participants to build a culture of early intervention, stressing that “We should not wait for conflicts to become crises before we act. Let us identify them early, manage them professionally and resolve them effectively.”
In his remarks, the Director, Alternative Dispute Resolution Department, Dr Godwin Ogedegbe, said the programme was convened to pursue sustainable development in the Niger Delta region.
He noted that the region was endowed with abundant resources and vibrant communities, but the complexities of its social, economic and environmental realities could give rise to tensions and disputes which, if left unmanaged, could undermine projects designed to uplift and transform the region.
Ogedegbe said conflict sensitivity required deliberate recognition and understanding of the communities where the NDDC operated, while ensuring the Commission’s interventions did not create divisions but fostered inclusion, trust, and cooperation.
He explained that Alternative Dispute Resolution provided a structured, efficient and peaceful mechanism for resolving disputes through dialogue, fairness and mutual respect, rather than confrontation and litigation.
He urged the participants to remain open-minded and actively engage in the programme by sharing their experiences and embracing the principles to be discussed, saying that collectively, stakeholders could build a culture of development in the Niger Delta anchored on peace, inclusivity and sustainability.
In his keynote address titled: “Conflict Sensitivity and Alternative Dispute Resolution, Application in Project Execution for Sustainable Development in the Niger Delta,” the Dean of the Faculty of Multidisciplinary Studies, University of Ibadan, Professor Isaac Olawale, advised NDDC contractors and consultants to recognise conflict risks early, choose appropriate ADR processes and ensure that projects remained on course while protecting relationships, public value and sustainable development outcomes.
Olawale emphasised that a technically sound project could fail if relationships, expectations and grievances were not properly managed
