Author: Eileen Peters

THE Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, has charged newly promoted Directors of the Commission to emphasise efficiency in the discharge of their duties. Ogbuku, who made the call during the Opening Session of a Two-Week Capacity Building Workshop for NDDC Directors in Abuja, stated that providing quality service to the people of the Niger Delta was a collective responsibility of all the staff of the Commission. The NDDC Boss, represented by his Chief of Staff, Rev. Julius Oworibo, said that the Strategic Management and Leadership Programme would equip the Directors to make critical…

THE Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, has been denied access to his office at the Government House in Benin, the state capital. News Point Nigeria reports that Shaibu arrived at the Government House on Monday morning but met the gate leading to his office under lock and key. He says is yet to receive a formal letter from the governor’s office and that according to him is the proper channel to transmit a directive pertaining to the relocation to a new office. “Up till now, I don’t have any official communication that I should relocate. The only people…

THE Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC is set to partner with the British High Commission on renewable, clean energy and green infrastructure in the region. The Second Secretary (Political), British High Commission, Abuja, Mr. Hamish Tye dropped the hint when he led a delegation that visited the NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, at the Commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt. Mr Tye observed that the NDDC had shown commitment to realising sustainable development in the Niger Delta region through partnerships and collaborations with national and international development agencies. He stated: “The attraction to the NDDC now is to explore the…

THE Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has pledged to collaborate with the Oil and Gas Free Trade Zone Authority, OGFTZA, on the development of Industrial Parks in the Niger Delta region. The NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, made the commitment during a courtesy visit by a delegation from the OGFTZA, led by its Managing Director, Senator Tijani Kaura at the Commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt. Ogbuku noted that Industrial Parks occupy a strategic position in sustainable development value chain because of their multiplier effects. He said: “Having industrial parks is very key in the development of a society like…

THE Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shuaibu has commenced the relocation of his office to an area outside the vicinity of the Government House. The new office is situated at No. 7, Dennis Osadebey Avenue, close to the government house. Sources close to the deputy governor told News Point Nigeria that the new office has not been completely renovated and there is no running water in the office although some plumbers are on site. It was also gathered that the new office is not habitable as there is no electricity, is waterlogged, and the office spaces are significantly small.…

GOVERNOR Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, on Saturday, has ordered the indefinite suspension of a monarch in relation to the “gruesome murder” of the Ahoada Divisional Police Officer (DPO), SP Bako Angbashim, by “a bunch of criminals”. This comes days after Bako was killed in the Odiemudie Community in the Ahoada East Local Government Area (LGA) of the state. The DPO and his team ran into an ambush while returning from their operation during which they were attacked. He was reportedly shot, captured, and murdered by his captors. The governor, in a personal statement on Saturday, said, “His Majesty, Eze…

THE Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for re-appointing Dr Samuel Ogbuku as the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC. Senator Diri expressed his appreciation when he received the Minister of Niger Delta Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, and his entourage, which included the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, at Government House, Yenagoa. The Governor, who described Momoh and Ogbuku as illustrious sons of the Niger Delta region, said they “will do justice to the issues and challenges facing the region.” He canvassed for…

THE Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has visited the Super Eagles camp ahead of their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Sao Tomé and Principe, assuring them of the government’s support. In his interaction with the Super Eagles contingent at their Four Points by Sheraton Hotel camp, at Ikot Ekpene on Thursday, Governor Eno welcomed the team to the peaceful and hospitable ambiance of the state and assured them of security and safety. The Governor congratulated the players for making it to the national team and encouraged them to play their best to make the country proud, assuring…

FAMILIES of National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, members from Akwa Ibom State, abducted in Zamfara State by gunmen over two weeks ago on their way to Orientation Camp in Sokoto State are gripped in fear of bad news, as the ultimatum the abductors gave for ransom expires today. Speaking to this newspaper, yesterday, in Uyo, some families of eight victims still in captivity disclosed receiving calls from the abductors to send a ransom balance of N8 million latest today or expect bad news having earlier paid N5 million. The latest development comes even as the Akwa Ibom State Government remains…

THE Rivers State Government has shut down the operations of Africa Independent Television and Raypower FM in Port Harcourt. According to a report on the media organisation’s website, the operations were shut down by telecommunications engineers contracted by the State Government who were accompanied by armed security operatives. This newspaper also observed a live broadcast on the TV channel where the alleged contractors were seen disconnecting the wave guard from the antenna on the mast while riggers were seen dismantling the mast. The statement reads, “Meanwhile, bulldozers were also deployed by the Rivers State Government to demolish the Transmitter Complex…

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has won in all 18 Local Government Areas in the Edo State local government election held on Saturday, according to results released by the state independent electoral commission. The election was held in all the 18 local government areas of the state covering Edo North, Edo Central and Edo South senatorial districts. Apart from the PDP, other major political parties that participated in the election for Chairmanship and Councillorship of all the wards include the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Labour Party (LP). See full results below: PDP: 16077 APC: 2519 LP: 2536 Ovia…

FOLLOWING the feud between the Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki and his deputy, Philip Shuaibu, the state government has relocated the office of the deputy governor to a building outside the government house. It was gathered that the new office is situated at no 7, Dennis Osadebey Avenue, close to the government house. The new deputy governor office used to be the state Public Procurement Office commissioned by a former Governor of the state, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, on December 16, 2014. When this newspaper correspondent visited the place, he observed a sign board with the inscription, “Office of The Deputy…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has approved the reappointment of the past Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer of the NDDC, Dr Samuel Ogbuku,  to a second term and will remain in acting capacity, pending the Senate’s confirmation of his reappointment. According to a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on media and publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, Friday, the president also ordered the immediate replacement of the NDDC’s Ondo State Representative nominee, Mr. Victor Akinjo, with a new Ondo State Representative nominee, Hon. Otito Atikase. Tinubu has equally approved the immediate replacement of the NDDC’s Cross River State Representative nominee, Mr.…

THE Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, has reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to all ongoing partnership talks with local and international entities aimed at accelerating the development of the Niger Delta region. Dr Ogbuku, who spoke at the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt, expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for the confidence reposed in him by his reappointment as MD/CEO in the new NDDC Board. He pledged to vindicate this trust by working assiduously to speed up development of the Niger Delta region. He said: “I am humbled and honoured by the trust and…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of a new Board and Management team for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). Presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, made this known in a statement sent to News Point Nigeria on Tuesday. “The President expects that the new Board and Management team will ensure a new era of successful administration in the NDDC, in line with his Renewed Hope agenda. “All of the above listed appointments take immediate effect,” the statement added. The Board and Management team members are: Chiedu Ebie – Chairman – Delta Samuel Ogbuku – Managing Director / CEO – Bayelsa…

THE eagerly anticipated grand finale of the inaugural Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Short Film Challenge & Awards unfolded on Saturday, August 12th, at the distinguished Abuja Continental Hotel (formerly Sheraton Hotel). This remarkable event was meticulously orchestrated and executed by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (OSSAP-SDGs), in collaboration with esteemed partners including the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) and FreshNEWS Multimedia. The grand finale not only lived up to its considerable hype but also presented an array of exceptional entries, each embodying the essence of the SDGs. These entries posed a…

SOME residents of Bayelsa State on Sunday night invaded a state govt warehouse in the Kpansia area of Yenagoa, the state capital, and looted foodstuffs. Some of the items looted include bags of rice and garri. In a statement, the Bayelsa State Emergency Management Agency (BYSEMA) condemned the incident, describing it as an “unwarranted invasion”. The agency said warehouse was privately-owned and that the incident “occurred about 7.45pm on Sunday, August 27 almost an hour after the Director-General, Walamam Igrubia, alongside some BYSEMA personnel, left the warehouse premises”. The agency explained that during the 2022 flood in the state, it…

THE Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has pledged to initiate projects and programmes to develop the capacity of women and youths in the Niger Delta region. Speaking during an interactive meeting with Women Leaders of Ethnic Nationalities and key stakeholders in the Niger Delta region at the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt, the Managing Director of the Commission, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, stated that the NDDC was focused on building strategic partnerships with the women and youths of the Niger Delta region. He said: “The women form the core of our development programmes. We have met and spoken with the youths.…

IN a bid to curb oil theft and illegal refining of crude oil in the Niger Delta area, a presidential delegation inspected government assets in some states within the oil-rich area on Saturday. The delegation was led by Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser (NSA) to President Bola Tinubu. On the delegation with the NSA were the Chief of Defense Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa; and the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Taoreed Lagbaja. Others include Minister of Defence, Muhammed Badaru; Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle; Minister of State (Oil), Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri; and Minister…

THE Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has embarked on exploratory discussions with the development agencies of France and Germany to propel job creation and boost farmers’ productivity in the Niger Delta region. Driven by a commitment to advance sustainable development, the NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, led a high-level delegation on a two-day visit to the French Development Agency (AFD) and the German Development Agency (GIZ) offices in Abuja. Accompanying him were the NDDC Executive Director of Finance and Administration, Major General Charles Airhiavbere, (Rtd.) the Executive Director of Projects, Mr. Charles Ogunmola, an expert in partnerships, Dr. Uche…