By David Owei,Bayelsa <\/p>\n
The Niger-Delta Development Commission (NDDC), yesterday, commissioned a state-of- art strategic naval base in Ayakoro, Ogbia LGA, Bayelsa state.<\/p>\n
NDDC Managing Director\/CEO Dr Samuel Ogbuku, in an address, assured the people of the Niger-Delta region of President Ahmed Tinubus’ love, stressing his determination to develop the region.<\/p>\n
His words, “I stand here to tell the people of this region that Mr President is a believer and a lover of the Niger-Delta. He is doing everything possible to ensure that the region is developed”.<\/p>\n
Ogbuku justified siting of the naval base in Ayakoro saying, it was strategic because of its critical positioning as a gateway “for kidnappers and all those involved in illegal oil bunkering, artisanal oil refining.”<\/p>\n
Continuing, “this particular location was chosen by the Nigerian Navy because of its critical positioning. From this junction because there a creek that takes you to Sangana in Southern Ijaw, and if this point is not blocked our safety would be challenged.In the past, kidnappers and all those involved in illegal oil bunkering and artisanal oil refining carry their products from this place through Onuebum, so with this facility here, that puts a stop to criminality through this area.”<\/p>\n
He said the partnership with the Nigerian Navy and other security agencies across the Niger-Delta region was informed by the reasoning that security and development are intertwined.<\/p>\n
He praised the security agencies for their sacrifices and ensuring projects are completed on schedule, adding that “they are the ones out there ensuring that we sleep peacefully, and because they have done their jobs very well that is why you see projects springing up across the Niger-Delta region.”<\/p>\n
He claimed that the Niger-Delta is the most peaceful region in Nigeria due mainly to the efforts of security agencies, adding that in the past many contractors were scared of working in many parts of the region due to insecurity.<\/p>\n
His words, “If not for their support, we would not be able to carry out these projects to conclusion.There was a time when contractors were afraid of going to certain parts of the Niger-Delta due to the fear of militants and criminals but today I can tell you that the Niger-Delta is one of the most peaceful regions in Nigeria due to the active performances of security agents in the region”.<\/p>\n
He praised President Ahmed Tinubu for putting together “these officers and men that have worked tirelessly in the region to promote peace”.<\/p>\n
According to him, President Tinubu gave the NDDC board marching orders upon assumption of office for a “reformed and renewed NDDC”, stressing that the board has strictly adhered to the KPI’s and directives of Mr President which has resulted in impactful projects being delivered.<\/p>\n
He highlighted other areas of NDDC’s intervention to include Education, Agriculture, Infrastructure and other areas, adding that a 750 bed hostel accommodation in Niger-Delta University, Amassoma, which will be completed in November 2025, was one of such interventions.<\/p>\n
The projects unveiled includes a fully furnished administrative block, a fully furnished accommodation block, a fully furnished 40 man houseboat equipped with two units 100 kva hp generator, two gunboats with two units 200 kva Yamaha generators, a 60 kva solar inverter systems installed in both the administrative and accommodation blocks as back up power supply, a 30 kva solar inverter installed in the 40-man houseboat as backup power supply, and full option Toyota Hilux for operational use, a newly built operational floating jetty, a set of satellite radio receivers for proper and effective communication.<\/p>\n
Clever Akpotu, a community leader, said the event was a clear testament of the determination of the current administration to enhance security in the waterways.<\/p>\n
He expressed gratitude for the appointment of Dr Samuel Ogbuku who hails from the community as helmsman of the regional interventionist agency.<\/p>\n
He said crime has greatly reduced in the Ekole creek due to the presence of the naval base in Ayakoro community.<\/p>\n
Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral I. Abbas, represented by Rear Admiral Noel Madugu, said the provision of the naval base was a demonstration of a clear understanding of the security needs of the coastal communities and the critical role the Navy plays in protecting lives, livelihoods and economic assets in the region.<\/p>\n
Bayelsa Governor, Senator Douye Diri represented by an aide, Brigadier General Eric Angaye (retd), said<\/p>\n
The ceremony attracted dignitaries including Bayelsa Governor, Senator Douye Diri, Managing Director\/ CEO, Dr Samuel Ogbuku and his management team, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral I Abbas, Flag Officer Commanding, Central Naval Command, Rear Admiral Aliyu Gaya, Commander, NNS SOROH, Commodore Omobamidele Akinbami, traditional institution.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By David Owei,Bayelsa The Niger-Delta Development Commission (NDDC), yesterday, commissioned a state-of- art strategic naval base in Ayakoro, Ogbia LGA, Bayelsa state. NDDC Managing Director\/CEO Dr Samuel Ogbuku, in an address, assured the people of the Niger-Delta region of President Ahmed Tinubus’ love, stressing his determination to develop the region. His words, “I stand here […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3035,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,1],"tags":[2280,1456,896,533],"class_list":["post-8225","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-oil-gas","category-uncategorized","tag-accommodation","tag-coastal","tag-communities","tag-demonstration"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8225","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8225"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8225\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8226,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8225\/revisions\/8226"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3035"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8225"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8225"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8225"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}