The Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, and the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, are to collaborate and harmonise their efforts to accelerate development in the Niger Delta region.
The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Dr. Stephen Oru said this in Port Harcourt on Tuesday during a familiarisation visit to the headquarters of the Commission, where he was received by the Chairman and top management of the Commission.
“The purpose of this visit is to promote a robust collaboration between the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and the NDDC. We have come to acquint ourselves with the workings of the Commission and to explore possible areas of synergy for the overall development of the Niger Delta region,” he explained.
While debunking the notion that the commission was part of the ministry, Oru explained that the commission is an independent body with which the ministry has common grounds and objectives to share.
“Both institutions are special interventionist agencies of government established to promote even development, be it in human and infrastructure, empowerment, peace and order,” he noted.
The Minister, who was accompanied on the visit by directors of the ministry, said that collaboration between the ministry and the commission will eliminate duplication of projects, minimise waste of resources and accelerate the development of the region. “We must not be seen to be working at cross purposes. We must work in consultation, collaboration, in tandem, with one another and in partnership to fast rack the even development of the region in line with the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan,” he argued.
He called for sharing of ideas and experiences between both sides, and pointed out that the Niger Delta region was no longer characterised by militancy, indolence, kidnapping, lawlessness and various acts of criminality.
In his remarks, Chairman of the NDDC Board of Governors, Senator Bassey Ewa Henshaw, agreed that collaboration and synergy between the Commission and the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs would lead to greater and faster progress in the development of the Niger Delta region.
“We have a special interest in working with the Ministry in a strategic partnership,” the Chairman assured. The Minister disclosed that a mechanism to actualise the partnership between the two institutions was being developed by the two interventionist bodies.
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