A socio-cultural group, known as the Crusaders for Niger Delta Community Development (CNDCD), has described attacks on the CEO/Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, as baseless and unnecessary distractions.
CNDCD, in a statement issued to newsmen in Yenagoa on Tuesday by its National Coordinator, Amb. Jesse Ese, said what Ogbuku deserves is thumbs up from the people of the Niger Delta region for the commissions interventions in the area, rather than attacks and endless distractions.
The group which has its affiliations with the Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND), said since Ogbuku assumed office, he has been able to setup life-changing programmes and policies which include the youth internship programme, the Operation Light Up the Niger Delta region and the inauguration of the Niger Delta Chamber of Commerce among others.
According to the statement, “Ogbuku is a leader who is focused on meeting the developmental needs of the region, even though the NDDC is yet to receive its 2024 budget.”
“He is focused on meeting the developmental needs of the people of the region, more especially with the issue of internship, youth internship, Project Hope, Niger Delta Chamber of Commerce, Niger Delta Investment Limited and NDDC collaboration with the Bank of Industry to support business owners in the region.”
“He has also embarked on the training of youths in different skills and the Operation Light Up the Niger Delta so that communities which were once in total darkness are now enjoying solar powered streetlights.”
“I think we owe the NDDC a duty of creating an enabling environment for them to carry out more projects and not these unnecessary distractions.”
Amb. Ese explained that the NDDC youth internship scheme is meant to train and empower at least 10 thousand Niger Delta youths from 18 to 45 years to lift them out of poverty.
According to him, “We have never seen this before. “On our own, we are already working with the NDDC to drive their developmental policies to the hearing of the people in the communities through jingles and radio announcements.”
“NDDC is yet to receive the 2024 budget – they are still running round to get the budget, but the man is not deterred. He is still trying to put things in place.”
“This administration has far reaching engagement with the people and impact on the people. This engagement has been able to inform him about what the people’s needs are.”
“They are trying to empower both the middle class and the lower class, to empower and grow young entrepreneurs to create access to funding with the chamber of commerce.”
“We believe that internship and scholarship are what the youths really need at this point in time, so the man really needs support from everybody and not for people to run him down.”
