The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, and the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises, Niger Delta, LIFE-ND, have stepped up efforts to boost agricultural transformation in the Niger Delta region.

The NDDC and LIFE-ND officials inspected incubation centres in Akwa Ibom, Imo and Rivers states to assess the performance of the agricultural programme in rural communities.

Speaking during the inspection of Samwart Farms in Opobo, Rivers State, the Director, Agriculture and Fisheries, Dr. Winifred Madume, noted that the NDDC embarked on the oversight function to ascertain the level of implementation of the programme.

She stated that the Commission was committed to meeting its counterpart funding and rural economic transformation in line with national agricultural goals.

In a statement by NDDCs Director, Corporate Affairs, Seledi Thompson-Wakama, Madume said the inspection provided an opportunity to engage with incubates, and identify areas for further improvement under the LIFE-ND programme, a collaborative initiative of NDDC, International Fund for Agricultural Development, IFAD, the Federal Government and participating states. The three-day inspection covered incubation sites in Delta, Imo, and Akwa Ibom States.

She said: “This initiative is a tripartite programme of the NDDC, Federal Government, IFAD and state governments. It focuses on empowering rural youth and women in agriculture, particularly in poultry, and aquaculture value chains. We have come here on oversight function to ensure that the objectives of this program are being carried out as agreed. We do this periodically. This inspection is ongoing in states funded by the NDDC.”

The Special Assistant to the NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, Mr. Abi Morris, expressed satisfaction with the implementation status of the programme and the enthusiasm of the young agripreneurs undergoing incubation. He noted this during an inspection to one of the training centers in Akabuka in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area.

“This programme is a clear example of development in action. It goes beyond training to unlocking livelihoods and reshaping mindsets. The Commission will continue to support initiatives that equip our youth with the tools to succeed.”

One of the beneficiaries, Atonye Ogolo, in Rivers State, thanked the NDDC for this initiative as it has equipped him with the necessary knowledge and funding to start his own agro-business.

In his own remarks, during oversight functions in Imo State, Director II of Agriculture and Fisheries, Tonye Frank-Oputu emphasized on the objectives of the initiative. He noted: “This initiative is commendable as it ensures food security in the Niger Delta. This is why the NDDC is investing in the rural areas.”

In Imo State, Mrs. Unanka Jovita, an incubatee at Sirkilo Memorial Farms, Nguru Umuaro Community in Ngor-Okpala LGA, Imo State, commended the program for significantly enhancing her agribusiness venture.

In Akwa Ibom, the Assistant Director, Agriculture and Fisheries, Mr. Chikezie Munachimso, applauded the selection process for incubation centers. “From interactions with incubators and incubatees, we can tell that the selection process was genuine. Most incubators have the capacity and facilities to absorb more incubatees if extension is given. I urge the incubatees to make good use of this opportunity.”

Dr. Okoko Atim, the head of Timma Fish and Agro Services, an incubation center in Ikot Akpa Ekop, Mpkat Enin LGA, Akwa Ibom State, expressed gratitude to the NDDC.

An incubatee, Mr. Udofia Samuel, thanked NDDC and the Federal Government for the laudable project. He expressed joy that he was among those selected. He said: “This training has given me the avenue to learn about fish production, processing and marketing. I also thank my incubator for the knowledge acquired.”

The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Dr Samuel Ogbuku , has restated the commitment, of the Commission to continue to partner the government of Cross River State in the area of infrastructure development within its right as a member of the NDDC mandate state.

Ogbuku stated this when he paid a courtesy visit to the Governor of Cross Rivers State, Senator Bassey Otu, at Government House Calabar, noting that the NDDC is always open and willing to partner with the state government, to the benefit of the people of the state, as it is their entitlement to also benefit as one of the NDDC mandate states.

As contained in a statement by Seledi Thompson-Wakama
Director, Corporate Affairs, the NDDC Chief Executive Officer said the partnership engagement with some of the state governments within the NDDC mandate states and International Oil Company’s (IOCs) has yielded tremendous result and expressed the hope that the Cross Rivers State government would benefit from such partnership.

He said that through a subsisting partnership with NLNG, the Specialist Hospital in Ikom, Cross Rivers State, Bonny ring road, Kaa Ataba bridge and Borokiri Okrika road in Rivers State are nearing completion, noting that the 28 kilometers Nembe-Ogbia road stands out as one of the commission’s partnership engagement.

Ogbuku who also used the opportunity to highlight the institutional reforms and the successes recorded by the Commission under his leadership, pointing out the NDDC has transited from transaction to transformation as things are looking better in the Commission.

The Cross River State Governor described the Managing Director ‘s visit as timely and crucial, noting the state government’s eagerness to strengthen it relationship with the NDDC as a major interventionist agency of the Federal government.

He said Cross River State was eager to grow but was limited by resources and was willing to partner the NDDC to bring development to the people of the State.

The Governor, while expressing appreciation to the leadership of the NDDC for the assurance to continue to work with the state government, said the government has never had issues with the NDDC and that what happened in the past was as a result of communication gap.

Prince Otu, drew the attention of the NDDC to the Commission’s key projects in the state, particulaly the Adiabo-Iko-Neto road and the Ikom Specialist Hospital and appealed to the Commission to expedite work on the projects.

The NDDC boss used the opportunity to extend a formal invitation to the governor and the people of Cross Rivers State, to participate in the 25th anniversary of the NDDC scheduled to hold between the 6th to 12th of July.

The grand finale which is set for July 12th, will feature a key not lecture by Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former President Goodluck Jonathan would be in attendance.

Seledi Thompson-Wakama
Director, Corporate Affairs

By Raheem Akingbolu

Yes, I expect Ekiti political landscape to be charged now that the 2026 election time table is out, i didn’t know that hunger for poeer can push our politicians this far in their desperate move to malign Governor Biodun Oyebanji. Even though the months before elections are generally tense, with blackmailing merchants and purveyors of half-truths struggling to steal the show, the current situation in Ekiti is inhuman and abnormal. In the last few weeks, I have observed these abnormalities and I have been provoked to ask if this is Ekiti. As a people, we are known for truth and principle but these virtues appear to be eluding us little by little.

When Oyebanji became governor, Ekitis trooped out in celebration that at last they had gotten the governor they desired. We saw the homegrown advantage of the new helmsman as a blessing and we hoped for the best in terms of human and infrastructural developments. Months into the administration, BAO’s activities and approach to governance further lent credence to the fact that he was well groomed to pilot the ship of the state. He knew the problems and how best to address them. He was accessible to all and this shows in his relationship with all the stakeholders -traditional rulers, civil servants and ordinary men and women on the streets.

Prior to his emergence as governor, many towns were locked in total power outage in Ekiti but BAO hit the ground running immediately and restored electricity. In a resolute effort to boost the local economy and propel industrial development through the robust growth of small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) in Ekiti State, the governor commissioned the extension of the 132/133 KVA power substation from Omisanjana in Ado Ekiti to reconnect Ikogosi-Ekiti and other communities back to the national grid after years of power outages.

The Governor emphasised that his government would not tolerate the idea of towns being left in perpetual power outages for a period of 15 years. He described this as a potential danger that could cripple businesses and increase the poverty level in the state.

There was no nightlife, ditto the flourishing economy. Insecurity spiralled like a bush fire in the harmattan. The local economy was comatose and poverty soared to an alarming and tremulous dimension. But, when the righteous are in power, the people rejoice. This is exactly the case of Ekiti State currently.

Shrewd and apt enough, ‘Infrastructure and Industrialisation’ is one pillar in the policy-thrust of Oyebanji’s administration. But nobody knew the magic wand he wished to wield to industrialise the state. He had a focus and this is steadily gaining momentum and manifesting in folds and miles.

Beyond infrastructural development, welfare of Ekiti workers was given a special priority under Oyenbanji and since he assumed office, the issue of nonpayment of salary has become a thing of the past. From Local government to those in the main stream of local government, it has now become a honeymoon. Another achievement of the administration is the offsetting of the backlog of pensions owed the retirees. Perhaps the most innovative of Oyebanji policies is the way he factors in the interest of the informal sector, which gives artisans and market men and women a say in his government.

As a result of all these, Ekiti people saw the need to further support the governor and urged him to go for the second term in office. This explains the recent jamborees in various communities and the endorsement of Oyebanji for the second term in office. Unfortunately, some naysayers, who were threatened by the governor’s popularity and acceptability, took offence and started mapping out strategies to nail him.

Knowing well that it would be difficult to point out any flaw in his government and approach to governance, they resorted to blackmail. First was the attempt to set him against Mr. President that he orchestrated an ‘illegal’ endorsement. Of course, this died a natural death immediately with the endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu himself by those who knew the President deserved another term to fully actualise his political and economic reforms.

Again, in an attempt to throw a spanner into chummy relationship between the governor and the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, they cooked another story that BAO was working with former Governor Niyi Adebayo to frustrate the taking off of the newly established Federal University of Technology and Environmental Science, Iyin Ekiti. Interestingly, this was also debunked by stakeholders, including the ministry of education and the Oluyin in council, with statements proving the governor’s support through the unconditional release of the state’s state of the earth permanent site of the Science College for the takeoff of the University. Case closed.

The final straw that broke the camel’s back was the recent endorsement of Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s second term bid by President Tinubu. Immediately the timetable for the 2026 Ekiti governorship election was released, those who were hell-bent that a certain gubernatorial hopeful must become governor came to town with another concocted lie that the President had given his nod to the aspiration of their candidates. But with Tinubu’s position during his meeting with former Governor Ayodele Fayose and the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adeyemo Adejuyigbe, their lies fell like a pack of cards.

At this stage and with the backing of all the former governors of the state, the traditional rulers, the civil servants, the artisans and the political neutrals, is it not high time everybody surrendered and queued behind the chosen one for the benefit of Ekiti people. In Oyebanji, Ekitis seem to have gotten their political messiah.

By continuing to run down BAO for personal gains, the promoters of hate speeches in Ekiti will end up destroying their lives and future. Excerpts and Adaptation from Al-Hidaayah: the Book “Diseases of the Hearts and Their Cures” should be suffixed enough for those who are still chasing shadows.

According to Ibn Taymiyyah who described envy as a disease of the heart, it’s one of the major sins which is bound to destroy good deeds as fast as the fire burns the wood and dry grass to ashes. “Jealousy eats away at good deeds, just as fire eats away at firewood.” [Sunan Ibn Majah]

If indeed envy is hating the good that happens to others, then those who have taken this as their trade simply because of their evil determination to scuttle BAO’s second term agenda, should expect nothing but consequences of their actions.

It is said that the people who have the greatest degree of restlessness are the envious people. Such a person has no peace and is continuously grieved.

The greatest harm from envy comes to the envier, who with one’s displeasure with God’s decree attains a great loss to oneself.

The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, says the Commission will organise a retreat and agricultural summit for the Niger Delta region in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration’s agrarian programme.

The NDDC Chief Executive Officer, who announced this during the inauguration of the Renewed Hope Multi-Purpose Training Centre in Otuokpoti, Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, stated that the retreat would be put together in conjunction with the state governments in the Niger Delta region.

In a statement by NDDCs Director, Corporate Affair, Seledi Thompson-Wakama, Ogbuku stated that the NDDC was determined to make the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government a reality in the Niger Delta region. He reaffirmed the commitment of the Commission’s Board and Management to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s mandate to change the narrative in Nigeria’s oil-producing region.

He assured: “The NDDC will align with the President’s vision for agriculture, ensuring that we utilise agriculture as a platform for peace and security in the Niger Delta region. A hungry man is an angry man. We cannot train people solely for the sake of training. We aim to promote agriculture by partnering with all state governments in the region.

“At any time from now, the Commission will convene a mini-agricultural retreat for state governments and commissioners of agriculture. Every state in the region has their various areas of strength in agriculture. We aim to establish a regional integration for agriculture, which will later evolve into a regional agricultural summit where a comprehensive master plan for the region’s agriculture will be developed. This is for the promotion of food security in the Niger Delta region.”

Ogbuku observed: “Who says that some of the crops imported into the country cannot be grown in this region? Let us strive to ensure that the region comes together to achieve food sufficiency and security. Most of our states do not grow crops again. For example, the Ogbia Local Government Area was well known for its cocoyams. Today, they are no longer found in our land. Why can’t we bring it back?

“All these are achievable because we have people who are working with us. We are not the most intelligent people. It does not mean that we understand the administration more than everyone else; rather, it is because people have come together to make it easier for us, and those people who have come together to make it easier for us are our leaders. Mr. President is there, and he is giving us that purposeful guidance under the Renewed Hope Agenda.”

The Managing Director affirmed that the NDDC was engaging all stakeholders to ensure harmony and cooperation in the task of developing the hitherto neglected Niger Delta region, noting: “It is not only by our efforts, it is a synergy and combined efforts from all the stakeholders who believe the time has come when there should be stability in the NDDC and to ensure that we deliver development to the people of the Niger Delta region.”

“We thank our stakeholders for their support and encouragement, which has boosted our desire to ensure that we give our people what they deserve. We appreciate the state governments for supporting us and partnering with us in several areas of development.”

Reflecting on the Agricultural programmes of the Federal Government, Ogbuku stressed the need to bring it home to the Niger Delta region, noting that the NDDC had continued to promote policies and programmes that enhance food security and poverty reduction in the states under its purview.

The NDDC Boss recalled that last year, the Commission trained 200 women and youths in Livestock Farming and Agro-Processing at Okiemutie Farms in Eku, Amukpe, Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State.

Ogbuku noted that the Commission was partnering with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to provide apprenticeship programmes for residents of the Niger Delta region.