MANAGING Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Samuel Ogbuku says the Niger Delta by current realities has become the most peaceful region in Nigeria and consequently most attractive to investments.
Ogbuku who asserted the appraisal during interaction in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, with ex-militants engaged in Phase 1, 2 and 3 of the Niger Delta Amnesty Programme, urged stakeholders in the region to sustain the prevailing peace to attract must needed investments and development.
The NDDC boss declared, “We want the world to know Niger Delta people have gone beyond street agitation. We are now involved in intellectual engagements. We sacrificed a lot during the struggle for emancipation of the Niger Delta. Now it’s time to turn that struggle into development.
“Our youths complain about lack of employment but interventions cannot come from government alone. Investors must see our region as peaceful, politically stable before they can bring employment opportunities. It is our responsibility to ensure Niger Delta remains peaceful and stable for employment generation.”
“Niger Delta has become one of the most peaceful regions in the country and we are expecting businesses to return. Many investment opportunities that should have come to the Niger Delta moved to other regions perceived to be more conducive for business.”
He said President Bola Tinubu was aware of the region’s challenges and much prepared to bring positive changes but only with cooperation of the people, just as NDDC is was focused on driving its Holistic Opportunities Programmes for Engagement, HOPE, to gainfully empower youths in the region.
The ex-militants expressed support for Ogbuku’s leadership of the NDDC, affirming his antecedent as foremost Niger Delta activist, committed to genuine development of the region and with adequate capacity to meet stakeholders expectations at the helms of the commission.
