Former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, has called on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to prioritize long-term, people-focused infrastructure over politically motivated short-term projects, saying frequent leadership changes have affected the Commission’s impact on the region.
Jonathan also urged the NDDC to ensure development projects are completed on time and not abandoned, stressing the need for continuity in its leadership
Dr. Jonathan stated this at the plenary of the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the NDDC in Port Harcourt on Saturday, saying the frequent changes in the leadership of the NDDC have affected strategy development in the region.
Jonathan said: “The frequent changes of the leadership of the NDDC have been a problem for the development. When we listened to the keynote address, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala observed that the Commission abandoned numerous projects.
“They were not abandoned because the managers of the NDDC wanted to do so, but the frequent changes made it that way. When planning is impossible or time is limited, agencies resort to contractor-driven projects instead of those based on planning.
“From what the chairman said, over these 25 years, we have had 11 CEOs of the NDDC. That means that the CEO on average is two years, three months. So, two years, three months—how can you plan? How can you finish projects that are significant to the region?”
The former Bayelsa State governor commended President Bola Tinubu for retaining Samuel Ogbuku as the Managing Director of the NDDC, a move he said showed that the President was interested in developing the region.
Jonathan said further: “We are here celebrating because he (Ogbuku) has stayed a little more than two years. Former President Muhammadu Buhari appointed him in 2022, I think November or so, but he resumed duty on January 4, 2023.
“Tinubu came on board in May 2023. If Tinubu were not interested in developing this region, he would have removed him and given the appointment to another person. He would have been just five months in office. Nobody would have heard about Ogbuku.
“We hear about Oyema Ugochukwu and Timi Alaibe because they stayed for a reasonable time, and within that period, they were able to put things on the ground that people remember.”
Jonathan, however, urged the agency not to relent but to deepen its commitments to performance-driven and inclusive governance—one that prioritizes long-term impacts over short-term, politically motivated projects.
He added, “We must continually emphasize that the future of the Niger Delta does not rest solely on oil and gas. It lies in agriculture, education, digital innovation, tourism, and renewable energy. True sustainability requires preparing our region for a post-oil economy, a transition that must begin now.”
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed the significance of the Niger Delta region to Nigeria’s economic prosperity, describing it as “the goose that lays the golden egg.”
Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, the President, who spoke at the anniversary celebration, said his administration’s legacy project, the 750-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, will serve as a viable alternative to the East-West Road.
“I have also directed the Board and Management of the Commission, through the Minister of Regional Development, to complete and deliver abandoned critical projects, including the Kaa-Ataba Bridge, Okrika-Borokiri Bridge, Bonny Ring Road, Gbaregolo Roads and Bridges, and the East-West Sampou Roads and Bridges, among several others,” the President said.
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was established in 2000 by the Nigerian government to facilitate the development of the Niger Delta region.
Tinubu commended the NDDC leadership for their efforts to improve the Commission’s service delivery and encouraged them to sustain the momentum and continue working towards enhancing the region’s development.
His words: “Beyond infrastructural development, the NDDC must continue to prioritize human capital development, as it remains the primary index of progress. Projects and programmes that directly impact the lives of ordinary people in rural communities must be prioritized. In this regard, I commend the Board and Management for the ‘Light Up the Niger Delta’ initiative, which has not only reduced night crimes and enhanced security but has also extended trading hours and improved social life across the region.
“I also urge you to place special emphasis on empowering the youth and women of the region. The NDDC must constructively engage the youth, steering them away from violence and militancy towards entrepreneurship and other legitimate means of self-development. This administration prioritizes youth development, and I encourage the NDDC to collaborate with the Ministry of Youth Development to leverage the various initiatives available.
“Furthermore, there can be no sustainable development without peace, security of lives and property, and adherence to the rule of law. The NDDC must continue to work towards sustaining peace in the region.”
The President emphasized the importance of agriculture in the Niger Delta, noting the region’s vast potential beyond oil and gas. He encouraged the NDDC to invest in agricultural initiatives that would unlock and maximize the region’s agrarian resources for the benefit of both the region and the country
While congratulating the Commission on the silver anniversary, he called on the people of the Niger Delta to continue to support his administration’s programmes and policies.
On his part, Senate President Godswill Akpabio blamed leadership crises and internal corruption for the NDDC’s past historical underperformance.
He said, “For over 20 years, NDDC operated from a rented apartment at N300 million per year, without connection to the national grid,” Akpabio said. “Yet diesel contracts were preferred over a one-time N70 million grid connection.”
He praised Dr. Samuel Ogbuku as the right leader to reposition the Commission:
“We have found in Dr. Ogbuku a man worthy to take NDDC to the next level.”
Also speaking, the World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, urged the NDDC to deliver measurable results.
“Over N7 trillion has been sunk into the NDDC since inception. How many solid roads have you built? The Niger Delta still ranks low on human development. A lot needs to be done to meet the aspirations of the people,” she said.
NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, assured stakeholders of a new era of impact driven by partnerships.
“We don’t want to be defined by our past. We’ve decided to create a future for the Niger Delta through partnerships with IOCs, traditional rulers, and stakeholders,” he said.
