By Desmond Ejibas
Port Harcourt – The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has unveiled a governance framework and regional master plan to strengthen accountability and coordinate development across the Niger Delta.
Dr Samuel Ogbuku, NDDC Managing Director, said this at the 2026 Partners for Sustainable Development Conference on Wednesday in Port Harcourt, where he outlined the commission’s reforms and development priorities.
The conference was themed, “Synergy for Transformation: Aligning Regional Development, Local Governance and Sustainable Partnership in the Niger Delta.”
The event brought together stakeholders to discuss governance reforms and regional priorities.
Ogbuku said the conference provided an opportunity for the commission to present its reforms, programmes and activities to stakeholders for evaluation, input and constructive recommendations on the region’s development priorities.
According to him, the NDDC manages the collective patrimony of the Niger Delta and must therefore remain accountable to stakeholders through regular consultations, transparent processes and inclusive decision-making across communities.
“Stakeholders are the people of the Niger Delta, so we must always come back to them to present our programme and our activities,” he said emphasising accountability.
Ogbuku said the new governance framework was designed to address weaknesses in the commission’s administration and establish clear rules governing its operations, responsibilities, procedures and institutional accountability.
He said KPMG developed the framework following a directive from President Bola Tinubu to strengthen governance at the NDDC and improve institutional effectiveness, transparency and operational discipline.
The managing director said the framework would establish standard operating procedures against which the actions of the board, management and staff could be assessed, ensuring clearer responsibilities and accountability.
He said the document had been presented to Niger Delta stakeholders to make additions, submissions and deductions, ensuring that the framework reflected regional expectations and institutional realities.
Ogbuku said the framework should become a stakeholders’ document, enabling the people to hold the commission accountable based on provisions collectively agreed upon and formally adopted for implementation.
“With this document, every NDDC managing director, director and staff will know their roles and limitations. One person cannot do everyone’s job. This is the foundation and future.”
Ogbuku said the commission had also presented its regional master plan to stakeholders for contributions and adoption, describing it as a shared development blueprint for the entire region.
He said the plan would help resolve conflicts between the NDDC and state governments by providing a common development framework and clearer priorities for coordinated regional infrastructure projects.
“Let us own this master plan. It is not an NDDC master plan. It is a master plan of the Niger Delta,” he said.
He urged stakeholders to use the master plan to assess whether the NDDC and state governments were implementing projects within agreed regional priorities, thereby promoting coordination and accountability.
Ogbuku said the 2026 conference differed from previous editions because it focused more strongly on accountability, institutional reform and building a durable foundation for the region’s development.
Speaking, the Minister of Regional Development, Mr Abubakar Momoh, said the Federal Government had continued supporting infrastructure projects across the Niger Delta region over the past two years.
Momoh said the interventions included road, electricity and water projects aimed at improving living conditions, expanding infrastructure and supporting economic activity across communities in the Niger Delta region.
He cited the 1.2-kilometre Kaa-Ataba Bridge in Rivers, now renamed President Bola Tinubu Bridge, as one of the major infrastructure projects being delivered in the region.
“The people of the Niger Delta must continue supporting initiatives designed to address infrastructure deficits and improve development across the Niger Delta,” Momoh said, urging sustained cooperation.
Sen. Asuquo Ekpenyong, Chairman, Senate Committee on NDDC, urged the region to move from resource extraction towards production, processing and value addition, creating greater opportunities for sustainable economic growth.
Ekpenyong said the NDDC should continue its gradual transition from project delivery to broader economic transformation, with emphasis on productive sectors, human capital development and regional prosperity.
“Our responsibility now is to help build the Niger Delta whose resources, people and institutions can sustain its own prosperity for generations to come,” he said.
Earlier, Chief Godknows Igali, Chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), called on stakeholders to unite and work together towards achieving sustainable development across the region.
Igali urged traditional institutions, host communities, youth groups and other stakeholders to collaborate more closely to transform the Niger Delta and achieve inclusive, sustainable development across its communities. NAN
