The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, has called on the mass media to join the Commission in publishing and broadcasting its achievements to the world.
Ogbuku made the call when he received a delegation from the SUN Publishing Company, led by the SUN newspaper’s Managing Director and Editor-In-Chief, Mr. Onouha Ukeh, at the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt.
The NDDC Chief Executive Officer thanked SUN Publishing Limited for nominating him for the SUN Public Service Award 2024, noting that the award has come of age. He said that many distinguished Nigerians have been honoured with the award, and the selection process was very transparent. He commended the SUN for maintaining the high standards of the award.
He stated: “I am deeply honoured to receive your notification regarding my selection as the recipient of ‘The Sun Public Service Award 2024.’ I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Board of Editors and the entire team at Sun Publishing Limited for considering me worthy of this prestigious recognition.
“This selection and acknowledgement encourage us to continue contributing to the development of our region and the Nation.”
Ogbuku stated that the NDDC Board was united in the resolve to fast-track the development of the region, saying: “Recently, we intervened to repair the failed sections of the East-West Road between Ahoada and Ula-Okobo town in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State.
“We also carried out emergency repairs of the failed sections of the East-West Road between Warri in Delta State and Benin in Edo State, especially the dilapidated sections along Ibadulume, Amukpe roundabout.
Ogbuku said the NDDC had many successes and would celebrate its 25th next year. “We have done so much, and in many communities in the Niger Delta, our projects are the only ones they see on the ground,” he observed.
Speaking earlier, the SUN Managing Director, Mr. Onouha Ukeh, said the newspaper organisation was honouring Nigerians who distinguished themselves in diverse areas.
He noted that the NDDC, under the leadership of Ogbuku, initiated and launched several transformative projects that brought remarkable improvement across various communities in the Niger Delta region.
He commended the NDDC for commissioning five impactful projects in Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Edo and Ondo states, covering roads, bridges and electricity projects in May 2024,
The projects included the 9km Obehie-Oke-Ikpe road in Ukwa West LGA, Abia State; the 25.7-kilometre Ogbia-Nembe Road in Bayelsa State; the 45km double-circuit 33KV feeder line from Omotosho Power Station to Okitipupa, Ondo State and the NDDC 6km Iko-Atabrikang-Akata-Opulom-Ikot Inwang-Okoroutip-Iwochang Road and 600m Ibeno Bridge in Ibeno LGA, Akwa Ibom State.
Ukeh applauded the NDDC for reviving the free healthcare programmes that provided 20,000 surgeries, attended 45,000 patients, and distributed essential medical supplies to rural communities.
He equally lauded Ogbuku for sustaining the NDDC Foreign Post-Graduate Scholarship Programme, which benefitted 2,700 students.
The SUN Editor in Chief commended Ogbuku for providing over 7,000 solar-powered street lights across the region and is extending the opportunity to other communities that have yet to be captured.
Ukeh noted that Ogbuku reorganised the NDDC administrative system to expedite service delivery and demonstrated the Commission’s commitment to due process and transparency by introducing measures to build confidence and trust among all partners and stakeholders.
Seledi Thompson-Wakama
Director, Corporate Affairs
December 3, 2024.
