No Alternative To Making A  Difference In Niger Delta Zone, Minister Tasks NDDC Board 

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By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo

The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Obong Umana Umana, has charged the members of the Governing Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to evolve a policy direction for effective take off in line with the given mandate of making a positive impact on the lives of the people of the Niger Delta region.

Umana said that as a new board, the people of the region and indeed Nigerians look up to them to make a difference through quality projects and programmes if they must justify the confidence reposed on them.

The Minister stated this on Friday, while declaring opening, a three-day Niger Delta Development Commission (NNDC) Board and Management Retreat on the theme,  “Making a Difference” held at Ibom Icon Hotels and Golf Resort in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. 

He also urged the board members to make good use of the Retreat to discuss and address key issues around the NDDC Act.

The Niger Delta Minister said that the retreat was meant to equip the Board and Management with relevant information to play their various roles to ensure that the Commission lived up to its mandate of fast-tracking the sustainable development of the Niger Delta region.

He however expressed confidence in the membership of the new board, saying,  “I trust that this new board, made up of experienced professionals, will not fail, especially with the confidence reposed in them.”

Earlier in his opening remarks, the NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku assured that the Governing Board was constituted to take the Commission to greater heights, assuring, “We will soon roll out plans for developing the Niger Delta region. We will explore new areas of partnerships.”

Ogbuku observed that the Commission had inaugurated a committee on Public, Private Partnership, PPP, charged with exploring sustainable relationships which will impact positively on the people of the region.  

According to him, “The PPP Committee is expected to review all the Commission’s existing partnerships as well as explore new partnerships that will result in enduring regional projects.”

Ogbuku said that the Committee will identify, pursue and secure alternative sources of funding for the Commission’s projects and programmes as well as draw up and adopt projects and programmes funding templates.

He said that the choice of Uyo as a place for the Retreat came from the perception that Akwa Ibom State is a window of development in the Niger Delta region.

Some topics selected for discussion at the retreat include; Overview of National Strategy on Public Service Reforms, the Auditing Function, Financial Crime Protection and Prudent Management of Government resources, Essentials of the Public Procurement Act, Critical Issues in Public Service Reforms and Guidelines to Accounting Procedures and Imperatives in Ministries, Departments and Agencies among others.

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