From ONYEKACHUKWU MELUWA, Warri
Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has declared that the era of abandoned projects in the Niger Delta region is over, reaffirming its determination to complete all ongoing projects and ensure lasting development in the oil-rich region.
This assurance came recently during the commissioning of Model State Office Complex in Warri, Delta State — an event that underscored NDDC’s new spirit of collaboration and transformation under its current leadership.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NDDC, Samuel Ogbuku, said the new Warri office symbolizes the commission’s shift “from transaction to transformation,” in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“We are ambassadors of the Renewed Hope Agenda, translating ideas into reality. When we say we are moving from transaction to transformation, this is what we mean. Today, we are commissioning modern offices fully owned by NDDC in Cross River, Bayelsa and now Delta State,” Ogbuku stated.
He said the Warri office would create a conducive working environment for staff and improve service delivery to communities across the state. Ogbuku commended Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for his collaborative approach and commitment to development in partnership with NDDC.
“Your administration has institutionalised the presence of NDDC in Delta State. We are currently engaged in ₦650 billion worth of partnerships with NLNG and we look forward to working closely with the Delta State government on similar initiatives,” he said.
The NDDC boss also praised President Tinubu for his unprecedented support to the commission, noting that the present administration had provided more funding and policy backing for NDDC than any before it.
Also speaking, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Engr Abubakar Momoh reaffirmed the federal government’s directive to ensure the completion of all abandoned projects across the region.
He noted that the ministry, working in synergy with NDDC, had already revived and commissioned several long-stalled projects.
“We identified and began commissioning completed works, including a 1.2km bridge in Ka’ataba, Rivers State. A memo is also before the president to approve the Omadino–Escravos Road project, which will improve access to Delta’s riverine communities,” Momoh revealed.
He described the newly commissioned Warri office as a “symbol of service, efficiency and progress,” urging staff to maintain it and use it as a base for greater developmental impact.
Governor Oborevwori, in his remarks, said the inauguration of the Warri office represents a new chapter in the partnership between the state and NDDC. He called for greater collaboration in addressing critical infrastructural challenges, especially the deplorable condition of federal roads in the region.
“This commissioning is not just about opening a building; it reflects a renewed sense of partnership. I appeal to the NDDC to join hands with us to fix federal roads that have become a nightmare for our people,” the governor said.
He disclosed that his administration had embarked on N35.7 billion reconstruction of the Spare Parts Market–Ohorhe Road, while expressing readiness to partner the commission on Omadino–Okerenkoko–Escravos Road and Bridges Project to improve connectivity in the riverine axis.
The Executive Director of Projects, Sir Victor Antai, said the Warri office is the second in NDDC’s new model office series, designed to meet modern operational standards. The complex, he noted, includes four main structures, residential quarters, an elevator, a central air-cooling system and a CCTV security network to ensure staff safety and comfort.
The Chairman of NDDC Governing Board, Mr Chiedu Ebie stated that the board had provided a clear policy direction for the commission, including a strategic operational framework developed in partnership with KPMG.
“We are fully committed to aligning our programmes with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and Governor Oborevwori’s M.O.R.E Agenda. Together, we can deliver sustainable development to the Niger Delta,” Ebie said, appealing to the governor to prioritise the completion of Escravos–Warri Road, which he described as critical to the region’s economy.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on NDDC, Senator Asuquo Ekpeyong, who attended the event alongside Senator Ned Nwoko and other lawmakers, lauded the commission for its transformation drive and urged it to sustain the momentum.
Chairperson of the House Committee on NDDC, Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, in her goodwill message, described the new Warri edifice as a “symbol of Renewed Hope” and a reflection of the commission’s renewed commitment to its founding vision.
The event attracted an array of dignitaries, including traditional rulers , the Orodje of Okpe, Ovie of Uvwie, Orosuen of Okere-Urhobo and the Ovie of Agbarha-Warri, as well as senior government officials, community leaders and development partners.
With its new model office in Warri and renewed partnership with state governments, NDDC said it is entering a new phase of action — one defined by transparency, collaboration and the completion of projects that truly transform lives across the Niger Delta.
