The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Managing Director, Samuel Ogbuku, reiterated the Commission’s commitment to its mandate of enhancing the quality of life for Niger Delta people.
According to him, the Niger Delta Development Commission is unwavering in its pursuit of sustainable development within the region.
Driven by this commitment to advance sustainable development, the director recently 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.
The two parties have 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.
During the visit, Ogbuku highlighted the NDDC’s eagerness to explore innovative funding mechanisms and secure technical expertise for impactful projects.
He emphasised the Commission’s intention to leverage international best practices and ingenious solutions to effectively address developmental challenges prevailing in the Niger Delta.
“Our collaborative endeavours with esteemed partners like GIZ and the French Development Agency amplify our collective ability to bring about positive and enduring change.”
The discussions, which engaged representatives from both agencies, were described by Ogbuku as fruitful.
He stated: “The discussions focused on avenues for collaboration that would synergize the expertise and assets of all entities involved. The collaborative endeavours centre on effectively addressing the diverse challenges confronting the Niger Delta while expediting sustainable development across pivotal sectors.”
Executive Director of Projects, Mr. Ogunmola, elaborated on the specific areas of collaboration under consideration.
“Our discussions spanned diverse sectors, including vocational training for youths, sustainable agriculture and energy initiatives, entrepreneurship development, and environmental conservation. This partnership brings forth the potential to transform these sectors and unlock novel prospects for sustainable progress.”
Earlier, the AFD Country Director in Nigeria, Mr. Xavier Muron, told the NDDC delegation that the agency is a development partner that gives a higher priority to supporting projects and programmes that pertain to climate change mitigation.
In a similar vein, the GIZ Country Director, Markus Wagner, said there were huge areas of opportunity for the NDDC to partner with the German Development Agency, including vocational training, helping farmers improve productivity, and technical support to enable farmers to tap the growing market for African fresh foods.
