The Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission,
\nNDDC, Professor Kemebradikumo Pondei says that the positive impact of
\nthe Commission’s infrastructural projects and skills acquisition
\nprogrammes help to curb the incidence of pipeline vandalism in the Niger
\nDelta region.<\/p>\n
Prof Pondei was speaking when he hosted a contingent from the Nigerian
\nNaval War College, led by the Commandant, Rear Admiral Adeseye Ayobanjo,
\nat the NDDC new permanent headquarters in Port Harcourt.
\nThe NDDC Chief Executive Officer observed that pipeline vandalism had
\nreduced significantly over the past five years, noting that it
\ncontributed to economic and social stability in the Niger Delta region.
\nHe said that this was achieved by engaging the youths through skill
\nacquisition and economic empowerment programmes.<\/p>\n
The NDDC, Pondei noted, was established for the specific purpose of
\naddressing agitations that arose from the Niger Delta region being
\nunderdeveloped. He said: “Over the years, there have been training
\nprogrammes that have absorbed the youths and the current focus at the
\nNDDC is to expand these training programmes to keep the youths away from
\npipeline vandalism and other crimes.”<\/p>\n
Pondei further said that it was not the job of the NDDC to engage in
\npipeline security and surveillance, stating that the Commission was
\nrather focused on interventionist programmes which ensured stability in
\nthe region.<\/p>\n
The NDDC boss explained that such interventionist programmes included
\nskills acquisition programmes, as well as Post-graduate scholarships
\ncovering Masters and Doctorate Degrees for youths of the Niger Delta
\nregion. He said the Commission was looking at proposals to extend its
\nscholarship scheme to undergraduates in Nigerian Universities.<\/p>\n
Earlier, the Commandant of the Nigerian Naval War College, Rear Admiral
\nAyobanjo said the Warfare Course 4 participants were on a study tour of
\nkey stakeholders who impact on the security and stability of the Niger
\nDelta region.<\/p>\n
He said the theme of the Course is, “Curbing Pipeline Vandalism; Towards
\nEnhancing Socio-economic Development in Rivers State.” Ayobanjo
\ncommended the NDDC for its critical role in the security of the region.<\/p>\n
In his own remarks, the NDDC Acting Executive Director, Finance and
\nAdministration, Mr. Effiong Akwa, said that winning the war against
\ncriminality entailed using the right strategy, because according to him,
\n“real victory in warfare is obtained not by firing shots but by
\nunderstanding and dialogue.
\n“Visiting the NDDC and other stakeholders will enable you to achieve
\nreal victory without firing a shot. Stopping the pipeline vandals
\nwithout necessarily waiting for them to do the damage first.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Professor Kemebradikumo Pondei says that the positive impact of the Commission’s infrastructural projects and skills acquisition programmes help to…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":73664,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-75925","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-other-news"],"yoast_head":"\n