NDDC harps on public private partnership, set for summit

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has reaffirmed its commitment to pursuing Public Private Partnerships (PPP) arrangement to drive development in the region.

Speaking during an executive management and staff meeting at the commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, said that a summit was in the offing to enable stakeholders explore opportunities for collaboration.

“We intend to leverage on our PPP initiative during the summit which will take place in April. It will help us to showcase what we can offer and show the world the future of NDDC. We cannot continue to rely on International Oil Companies (IOCs) and the Federal Government to raise funds for development projects. We intend to show the world that NDDC has been rebranded,” he said.

Ogbuku said the NDDC would not relent in its PPP campaign to bring sustainable development to the Niger Delta region.

“We will take the campaign to all relevant organisations. Last week, we were at the meeting of the Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS) of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Lagos. Henceforth, NDDC will be attending the OPTS quarterly meetings.”

Speaking further, the NDDC boss said the commission would also focus on capacity building for youths in the region.

“We are going to focus on youth development programmes, we have come up with a new concept of working with the Niger Delta Chamber of Commerce in the training of our youths and young entrepreneurs. We will show the world that we have young entrepreneurs. The various chambers of commerce will help us to make the programme sustainable. We will focus on empowering young people because government cannot employ everybody.”

On NDDC’s commitment to its contractors, Ogbuku said the Commission was engaging them to arrive at practicable ways of liquidating the debts.

“We have been meeting with the contractors and gradually all legitimate debts will be defrayed.”

Ogbuku said there was a need for reform within the commission in order to bring it in line with the NDDC Establishment Act.

“We are reorganising the directorates to bring the number to only 13 provided for in the Act,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of the staff, Chairman of NDDC Staff Union, Anthony Gbendo, made a case for staff training and re-training and urged management to expedite action towards getting the board’s approval for staff conditions of service.