‘Buhari specially loves Niger Delta’

The Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Prof. Nelson Brambaifa, has stated that President Muhammadu Buhari specially loves the Niger Delta region.

Brambaifa, who spoke during the inaugural meeting of the new management at NDDC’s corporate headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, confirmed that the Federal Government had indeed begun refunding over N1.3 trillion owed the commission since inception.

The acting managing director of the Federal Government’s interventionist agency, whose appointment was announced last Friday, along with those of the Acting Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Mr. Chris Amadi, and the Acting Executive Director, Projects, Dr. Samuel Adjogbe, noted that the new management team was a response to the growing unhappiness in the Niger Delta, over government’s commitment to developing the region and improving the living conditions of the people.

He stated that the Niger Delta had suffered enough, with President Buhari recognizing the suffering, thereby taking prompt action to redress the situation and reassure the people on government’s commitment to their welfare.

Brambaifa reiterated that President Buhari had for the first time since the establishment of the NDDC, ensured that the Federal Government started to meet its statutory financial obligations to the commission in full.

He disclosed that the President also ensured that all other statutory contributors to the funding of NDDC met their obligations, noting that President Buhari also worked to restore peace and security in the Niger Delta by tackling all grievances of the people.

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The new NDDC chief stated that the appointment of the management team was another step in the effort to offer hope to the Niger Delta people and restore their confidence and faith that he would take decisive action to rebuild the region.

Brambaifa pledged to do everything necessary to respect and implement the mandate of the commission, which, according to him, was to facilitate the sustainable development of the Niger Delta into a region that would be socially stable, economically prosperous, politically peaceful and ecologically regenerative.

He stated that it was necessary to start work immediately, stating that the task of developing the Niger Delta was too important to be toyed with and too compelling to waste time on.

The acting managing director urged all stakeholders in the Niger Delta to join hands with members of the new executive management to ensure a smooth transition and to also contribute to the immediate delivery of President Buhari’s mandate.

While later addressing staff of NDDC, Brambaifa urged them to embrace teamwork, while assuring that he would positively change the commission and take it to the next level.