Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori has called for a strategic partnership between the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and state governments to rehabilitate critical federal roads across the region.
The governor made the appeal on Friday during the official inauguration of the new NDDC state office in Edjeba, Warri, describing the edifice as a symbol of a “shared commitment to development, inclusion, and service delivery.”
He emphasised that true progress hinges on collaboration and a renewed dedication to improving infrastructure, education, healthcare, and empowerment.
Governor Oborevwori urged the Commission to focus on fixing failed roads that have caused “untold hardship to commuters.”
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Highlighting Delta State’s own commitments, he revealed, “Delta had already approved ₦35.7 billion for the reconstruction of the Warri/Sapele/Benin Road,” an essential artery connecting Delta to Bayelsa, Rivers, and Cross River States.
The Governor expressed his readiness to partner with the NDDC on the Omadino–Okerenkoko–Escravos Road, disclosing that a joint meeting between the state government, Chevron, and the Commission is scheduled for early next month to outline next steps.
He commended NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, for his leadership and described the new office as a mark of “institutional stability and renewed purpose.”
Governor Oborevwori also lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his Renewed Hope Agenda, which he said has “strengthened state finances, fostered inclusivity, and restored public confidence in governance.”
In a bold statement on his administration’s fiscal responsibility, Governor Oborevwori affirmed, “No state in Nigeria pays contractors faster than we do in Delta.
“We are not borrowing and we owe no contractor,” pledging continued transparency and accountability.
In his remarks, the Minister of Niger Delta Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, stated that President Tinubu had directed the NDDC to complete all abandoned projects in the region.
He cited successes such as the restoration of electricity in Okitipupa after 15 years and the construction of key bridges and substations.
Minister Momoh urged NDDC staff to maintain the new facilities and remain non-partisan, asserting, “NDDC is not for a clique of people. It’s for all.”
He cautioned communities in Delta to “beware of certain people who want to cause problems that would create unrest.”
The NDDC Chairman, Mr. Chiedu Ebie, and Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, both reaffirmed their commitment to collaborating with Delta and other Niger Delta states.
Mr. Ebie noted that the Board had strengthened governance by adopting a new transparency framework developed with KPMG.
He stated, “Here in Delta State, we look forward to partnership with you so that the Renewed Hope agenda and the MORE agenda… can bring the dividends of democracy to our people.”
Dr. Ogbuku described the new Delta office as part of the Commission’s transition “from transactions to transformation.”
He disclosed ongoing collaborations with the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) on ₦650 billion worth of infrastructure projects and assured that the NDDC is committed to timely project completion.
Addressing past failures, Dr. Ogbuku stated, “It’s not our fault that projects were abandoned in the past. It was political instability in the board of the NDDC that caused it.”
He also thanked President Tinubu, noting he has “funded the NDDC more than any President since the agency was created.”
The ceremony was attended by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on NDDC, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, and the Chairman of the House Committee on NDDC, Hon. Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, Senator Ned Nwoko, and House of Reps member, Hon. Thomas Ereyitomi, among other dignitaries.
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