By: Felix Ikpotor
Following the warning signal of impendig flooding in some Niger Delta states this years, Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku says the Commission is building six multi-purpose emergency shelters in Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers states for Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, in the event of flood.
Ogbuku, who revealed this while briefing the press at the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt, said the Commission was taking proactive steps to ameliorate the impact of the perennial flooding in the region.
The NDDC MD said the project was conceived as a response to the frequent flooding challenges faced by people of the region, noting that facilities at the emergency shelter would include essential amenities such as a school, hospital, cafeteria, police post, and recreation center, which would provide comprehensive support to the communities in times of distress.
He explained: “We have six of this facility currently under construction in Otuokpoti and Odi, in Bayelsa State, while the ones in Delta State are being built in Patani and Ozorro and another two in Rivers State.”
He assured that the commission would intensify efforts to light up communities across the nine states of the region, with solar-powered street lights, as part of measures to fight criminality and maintain peace in the Niger Delta.
Ogbuku said he is delighted at the positive impact of the “Light Up the Niger Delta” campaign, which he observed have reduced criminality in the various communities while enhancing commercial activities in the areas.
“We decided to adopt the clean energy approach which not only provides light but helps in the fight to mitigate the effects of climate change on our environment,” he stated.
Speaking on the youth empowerment programmes of the Commission, Ogbuku disclosed that the Holistic Opportunities Programme of Engagement, HOPE, would be launched at the end of September in Port Harcourt.
On the NDDC Youth Internship Scheme, Ogbuku affirmed that entrepreneurial and skills enhancement were key components for unlocking the potentials of the youths in the Niger Delta region, stressing that the objective was to get the youths to acquire meaningful and self-sustaining skills that would improve their lives, support their families and communities and thus ensure peace in the region.
Ogbuku also noted that the NDDC, through the Niger Delta Chambers of Commerce had streamlined engagement in giving support to farmers and verifiable entrepreneurs in the region.
He said: “Technology is key to the future of the Niger Delta. The way technology is changing, it is only wise to change with the times and prepare for the future. We are ready to collaborate with relevant organisations to provide a training platform for our youths.
“We need to build our youths and our children as well. We have acquired 45,000 U-lesson tablets for distribution to schools for the use of our children. We will soon launch the tablets and deploy them to schools across the region,” the NDDC MD said.
He listed some of the achievements of the management under him to include completion and inaugurating of impactful projects across the nine states of the Niger Delta region.
The projects said includes the 25.7-kilometre Ogbia-Nembe road, which was executed in partnership with Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC.
“We also commissioned the 132KV Transmission Line and I32KV/33KV electricity substation at Okitipupa to serve over 2,000 communities in the southern part of Ondo State. Similarly, we inaugurated another 1×15 MVA 33/11 KVA injection substation to in Amufi, Edo State,” Ogbuku said.
He added: “In Akwa Ibom State, we commissioned the 600-meter Ibeno Bridge and the 6.87-kilometre Iko-Atabrikang-Opolom-IwuoAchang Road in Ibeno Local Government Area. The N10 billion virgin road project links 20 communities, hitherto separated by the Qua Iboe River.
“In Abia State, we commissioned the Obehie to Oke Ikpe-road reconstructed at a cost of N3.5 billion. The nine-kilometre road restores the road link between Rivers and Akwa Ibom states”.
