Niger Delta Development: A case for Continuity and Tenure Completion In NDDC (FEATURES)

By Jerome-Mario Utomi

In its determination to chart an enchanting  future for the Niger Delta, the Governing Board and Management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) held a two day Retreat from Monday February 17 to  Tuesday 18 , 2025., in Lagos, Nigeria,

Themed “Repositioning NDDC for Efficient Service Delivery”, the retreat took place in Ikeja, Lagos.

As expected, the gathering provided a veritable opportunity to strengthen collaboration between Board Members and Management, ensuring that their shared vision translates into effective service. It also provided an opportunity to address challenges, learn from experiences, refine strategies, and set an ambitious yet achievable course for the NDDC. These objectives were captured in thought-provoking speeches and presentations at the two-day event.

For instance, while Barrister Chiedu Ebie, Chairman of the NDDC Board in his speech entitled “Steering a Course Towards Greater Impact” stated that the Commission will remain guided by the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu in its drive to bring accelerated development to the Niger Delta region, adding that this year and that the NDDC leadership must turn vision into action, and strategy into measurable results,  the Managing Director of the commission,  Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, for his part, told the gathering that the agency has completed landmark infrastructural projects valued at over N35billion ready for commissioning and concluded that “Together, we can navigate the course towards a brighter future for the Niger Delta, where sustainable development and efficient service delivery are the cornerstones of our progress’’.

In addition, stakeholders expressed concern about the ‘’culture’ of brazen truncation of the board and management tenures which has in the past prevented completion of programmes and projects embarked upon by them.

For emphasis, it is imperative to note that the NDDC Act inter alia made two provisions considered as landmark. Section 2. (1) provided that there is hereby established for the Commission, a governing Board (in this Act referred to as “the Board”), which shall consist of- (a) a Chairman; (b) one person who shall be an indigene of an oil producing area to represent each of the following member States.  In like manner, (2) the Chairman and other members-of the Board shall- (a) be appointed by the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, subject to the confirmation of the Senate, in consultation with the House of Representatives. (b) be persons of proven integrity and ability. And (3) The members of the Board referred to in paragraph (a – f) of sub-section (1) of this section shall be part-time members’’.  The appointment is for four term and could be renewed for the second tenure by the President’’’.

Leading the call on the federal government to put a stop to the culture of truncating the tenures of the board and managements of the commission was the former Chairman of the Commission, Senator Victor Ndoma Egba, SAN.

Senator Egba rued that incessant truncation of the tenures of the management and Board of the NDDC rubs off negatively on the Niger Delta in terms of abandonment of programmes and projects

According to him, the frequency at which the board and management of the NDDC were changed, has led to lots of uncompleted projects scattered across the Niger Delta.

The former NDDC chairman said  it was always difficult to hold the leadership of the commission accountable at any given time because they were not allowed to complete their programmes and serve out their tenure, blaming political interest for the phenomenon. He also called for the establishment of an NDDC Bank to finance major projects in the Niger Delta, noting that an integrated economy for the region can only happen when the governors of the region sit with the NDDC to look at projects that would uplift the region, as they are not in competition but should complement each other.

Senator Ndoma-Egba is not alone in this as a similar call was made a year ago by the pioneer Chairman of the interventionist agency, Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, during the  Commission’s 2024 two day strategic retreat, held February 9 and Saturday 10, 2024, at Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, for members of the agency’s governing board, management and other critical stakeholders, with the theme; “Renewed Hope: A New Era for Vitality, Peace and Development”

Chief Ugochukwu who delivered a goodwill message at the event was both emphatic and unwavering in his insistence that the present board and management would deliver the region from socioeconomic backwardness if allowed to complete their tenure.

As argued by Senator  Ndoma-Egba and Chief Ugochukwu the Niger Delta and its people will gain uninterrupted development if a stop is put to the frequent changes in the leadership of the Commission which is chiefly responsible for the many abandoned projects across the region.

Clearly, the solution to the ugly situation would be continuity of NDDC leadership, whether management or Board; it is the key to completion of projects and the success of Boards and Management.

Appealing to the federal government to allow the present NDDC Board to complete its tenure Chief Ugochukwu had emphasized the  imperativeness of amending the NDDC Act to provide for an overlap in the tenure of the members of the Board to ensure continuity.

His words: “The lack of continuity has been a serious problem and a drawback to the development of the Niger Delta region, Amending the NDDC Act to stagger the tenure of board members and key officials would indeed help ensure continuity and stability within the organization”.

This, according to him, could be achieved by implementing a system where the tenure of members is set at four years, while the Chairman, Managing Director/CEO and Executive Directors serve for five years. This approach would help maintain a level of institutional knowledge and experience within the NDDC, as well as provide a smooth transition of leadership over time.

“By incorporating these provisions, the NDDC can foster long-term strategic planning and consistent leadership, ultimately contributing to the effective execution of its mandate and objectives”, he had concluded.

Arguably, Chief Ugochukwu had laid bare an NDDC road map President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must commit to mind and act upon for the good of Niger Delta and its people.

In like manner, former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, at a different NDDC function June last year had urged politicians not to over stretch the NDDC, as this could adversely affect execution of projects and retard development in the Niger Delta region.

Jonathan noted that as an interventionist agency for the oil producing states, the NDDC holds the mandate of bringing development closer to the people and that the agency came as a child of necessity with a strategic role to improve the environment, provide infrastructure and improve the livelihood of the people of the region.

Speaking at a 3-day Niger Delta Stakeholders Summit organized by NDDC in Port Harcourt the former President who was the chairman of the occasion said that after past NDDC leadership, the activities of the Commission began to slow down and its impact was not well noticed.

“But with the present leadership, people from the Niger Delta have seen some light. Having listened to the conversation of this summit from interrogating issues, I was impressed that things have taken a different look in the Niger Delta. It shows clearly that the current leadership intends to move NDDC to a proper direction’’.

“I will request for us who are the political class not to over stretch the NDDC so that they can perform. I am happy that Godswill Akpabio is here. He is the most senior politician. He has to work with others so that NDDC is not under too much of stress. I know what I am talking about”.

Jonathan expressed delight over the present management of NDDC, adding that one of the greatest problems of the NDDC is the issue of abandoned projects. “Infrastructure projects that were done by NDDC and were abandoned have become a curse. NDDC must have a way of managing its infrastructure when completed”

Notedly, a cursory look at the unending list of endorsements by prominent Nigerians of goodwill and good conscience on the present governing board and management, two things are deduced: One, the federal government should adhere to this present demand by these men of goodwill and good conscience. Two, NDDC’s critical stakeholders should rally support for the Commission’s present governing board and management.

Utomi, a Media Specialist writes from Lagos, Nigeria. He could be reached via Jeromeutomi@yahoo.com/08032725374.