Former Minister of Petroleum Resources and Foreign Affairs, Mr. Henry Odein Ajumogobia, has called for the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, to be strengthened as the central coordinating body for development in the region.
Speaking as keynote speaker at the NDDC Law and Development Summit in Port Harcourt, recently, Ajumogobia said the commission had been reduced to “one layer in a crowded ecosystem” with unclear responsibilities.
“Rather than functioning as the central coordinating body, the NDDC has become one layer where responsibilities are diffuse. This has produced duplication as multiple actors work at cross-purposes while oil-producing communities remain underdeveloped,” he said.
Ajumogobia noted that the NDDC’s challenges were structural, not just administrative. He said the commission operates within a fragmented governance system with overlapping mandates among federal agencies, state governments, oil companies, and CSR programmes.
He urged government to back NDDC’s role as the arrowhead among development partners in the oil-rich region.
NDDC Governing Board Chairman, Mr. Chiedu Ebie, said law was foundational to development.
“Law is not merely rules and restrictions. In its highest expression, law is a living instrument of social engineering, economic transformation, and environmental sustainability,” he said.
Ebie said the summit theme, _‘The Role of Law in Driving Sustainable Development in the Niger Delta’_, was timely; adding that the commission had repositioned operations, strengthened governance, and accelerated projects “with renewed urgency”.
Responding, managing Director the commission, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, noted that sustainable development was beyond infrastructure. It must integrate economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental protection.
He disclosed that the current management had reformed procurement and digitalised almost 90% of NDDC processes. Contractors can now sign and execute contracts electronically with minimal physical contact.
“When we came on board, we discovered internal processes needed recalibration. We engaged KPMG Advisory who reviewed our processes and developed new corporate governance policies,” Ogbuku said.
He said the summit was convened to strengthen legal and institutional frameworks guiding NDDC operations.
Director of Legal Services, Sir Victor Arenyeka, said the NDDC was a creation of law and its activities were regulated by its Establishment Act and other relevant laws. He said the summit would examine how law, governance, and accountability can drive regional transformation.
