Ogbuku gave the assurance when he hosted a delegation from the Itsekiri Ethnic Nationality, led by Ayiri Emami, at the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt.
This was contained in a statement issued on Monday, and signed by the commission’s Corporate Affairs Director, Pius Ughakpoteni.
Ogbuku said the commission was open to all ethnic nationalities in the region, saying its mandate was to serve the people and ensure sustainable development of all communities in the region.
He stated, “We all face the same challenges. Therefore, we must all work together to address our challenges, regardless of our ethnicity. These challenges, like underdevelopment and ecological problems, bring us all together.”
The NDDC boss stated that President Bola Tinubu’s administration was emphasizing stakeholders’ engagement, noting that the Commission had adopted that approach.
He declared that the commission would soon organise a stakeholders’ summit to allow all groups in the region to be part of the development process.
Ogbuku further said as part of NDDC’s engagement with stakeholders, the interventionist agency visited the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, to get his buy-in on the completion of the Omadino-Escravos Road, in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State.
The NDDC boss noted that the project, when completed, would link Warri to Escravos which is the hub of oil and gas activities in Warri Kingdom. He stressed the importance of Warri in the economy of Delta State and indeed Nigeria.
Ogbuku said that the NDDC also met Chevron officials to discuss collaboration on- the Omadino-Escravos, saying, “We are working out the details of the partnership with them because we are committed to seeing to the completion of the project. ”
He then charged the Itsekiri delegation to continue to support the NDDC in its efforts to develop the region, advising them to avoid casting aspersions on the Commission, which he said was the only agency with visible projects in many Niger Delta communities.
In an address read on behalf of the Itsekiri delegation, by the Secretary Itsekiri Leaders of Thought, Sunny Mene described the Ogbuku as “a detribilised Niger Deltan with conscientious tendencies, clear vision for the region, and a committed mission to turn our communities around in a way never before seen in the history of the Commission.
Mene added, “Our confidence is in your ability to superintend over the overall development of the region without bias or favoritism to any ethnic group, given your antecedents in the last few years.
“This confidence is further reinforced by your sterling performance and activities across the region.”
The Itsekiri group observed that some projects awarded and started by the NDDC had been abandoned or stalled.
“These projects include but are not limited to the Koko-Ogheye-Lagos Road, Warri-Omadina-Escravos Communities Road project, the Ugborodo Community Shore protection/reclamation and the Aladja-Ode-Itsekiri Highway, with Feeders to Ogbe-Ijaw.”
A Prince of Warri Kingdom, Yemi Emiko, regretted that the three percent contributions from oil companies to the NDDC coffers had always been a problem because of the issue of trust.
Emikos said that of late the Commission was beginning to do things differently.
