The Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has advised the Niger Delta<\/p>\n
Development Commission, NDDC, to focus more on building big ticket
\nprojects that would connect states in the region.<\/p>\n
The governor was speaking yesterday when the NDDC Acting Managing Managing
\nDirector, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari visited him at his residence in Owerri.<\/p>\n
Owelle Okorocha said that as an interventionist agency NDDC should not
\nbother itself with the renovation of primary and secondary school
\nbuildings, as well as small water projects and health centres. \u201cI will
\nlike to see a change in the NDDC. The earlier I see NDDC change its style,
\nthe better for everyone.\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The governor applauded President Muhammadu Buhari for appointing Mrs.
\nSemenitari as the NDDC Chief Executive Officer, describing her as a
\ncourageous woman who stuck out her neck to ensure the victory of the
\ncurrent governing party in the country. He expressed confidence on the
\nability of the new NDDC helmsman to make a difference.<\/p>\n
\u201cI urge you to follow the mandate of the Buhari administration to complete
\nall on-going projects. This is a new government and everyone knows the
\nPresident has zero tolerance for corruption,\u201d the governor said.<\/p>\n
Addressing the governor earlier, Mrrs. Semenitari remarked that the NDDC
\nwas established to intervene and bridge the development gaps in the Niger
\nDelta region, as well as renew the sustainable livelihoods of the people.
\nShe said that the commission had tried to meet the expectations of the
\npeople as an agency that would fundamentally address the dire challenges
\nof regional development, from physical infrastructure needs to human
\ncapacity development.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cSince inception, the commission has completed 242 projects in
\nImo State. I have just inspected some of them and I must confess I am far
\nfrom impressed with the kind of work I saw on some of the projects. Of
\ngreat concern was the Assa road project which I have been briefed has been
\ncancelled. I was also concerned about the dualisation of the Avu to
\nEtekwuru road project which would connect 6 communities and increase
\neconomic activities around the Amafor market and the general Owerri West
\nand Ohaji\/Egbema local Government areas.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to Mrs. Semenitari, \u201cwe cannot continue to ignore the potential
\nof our intervention in the Niger Delta to impact positively on the lives
\nof our people. Neither can we continue to give to our people such
\nsubstandard projects, because their faith in us is not substandard. They
\nhave invested far too much in this great country to receive such
\ntreatment. I have told my engineers that such delivery cannot be accepted
\nand we will put every strategy in place to ensure that our projects become
\nworthier.\u201d<\/p>\n
The NDDC boss listed some projects for which, she said, NDDC was proud to
\nbe identified with. One of this, she said, was the two 522-bed space
\nhostels built by the commission for the Imo State University and the
\nFederal University of Technology, Owerri. She said that the projects had
\nadded great value to the university communities and alleviated their
\naccommodation challenges.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have, indeed, built several roads, undertaken rural electrification
\nprojects of communities such as in Okigwe, Umuenyi in Isiala-Mbano, in
\nAwa\/Akabor, as well as donated over 400 transformers to many other
\ncommunities in the state. We have also carried out free medical missions
\nto many rural communities, as well as donated medical equipment and drugs
\nto hospitals.\u201d<\/p>\n
She appealed to the governor to set up a strategic team that would
\ninterface with NDDC on a regular basis to find ways of partnering with the
\nstate government to put an end to the problem of duplication of projects.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has advised the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, to focus more on building big ticket projects that would connect states in the region.…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":39724,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-46933","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n