The Cross River State Government and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) have renewed their commitment to strategic collaboration aimed at accelerating infrastructure and social development across the state.
This assurance came during a courtesy visit by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, and his executive team to Governor Bassey Otu at the Executive Council Chambers in Calabar.
Describing the visit as timely and crucial, Governor Otu welcomed the NDDC delegation with optimism, noting the state’s eagerness to strengthen its relationship with the federal interventionist agency for tangible development outcomes.
“Cross River is a state that wants to grow but is often constrained by limited resources. We turn every intervention—whether from the Federation Account or agencies like the NDDC—into people-focused, impact-driven projects,” the governor stated.
Governor Otu expressed gratitude for the Commission’s renewed willingness to recommit to the state, particularly in revisiting stalled or abandoned projects. He emphasized the importance of close coordination and greater state input in the planning and implementation of NDDC interventions.
“We’ve never had issues with the NDDC. What we had was a communication gap, and that is now being addressed. Our approach is legal, structured, and people-centered,” Otu said.
The governor highlighted several key NDDC projects in the state—most notably the Adiabo-Iko-Neto road and the abandoned Ikom Medical Centre—and urged the Commission to expedite work on them. He also pointed to neglected facilities such as the youth centre in Akpabuyo and called for NDDC’s involvement in refugee and IDP support, revealing that Cross River currently hosts more than 54,000 displaced persons.
Underscoring the need for inclusion, Otu insisted that Cross River must feature more prominently in the Commission’s future plans.
“There must be intentional inclusion. Though we may not produce oil at the scale of others, we are an integral part of the Niger Delta. Exclusion cannot be the price we pay for being peaceful and cooperative,” he said.
In response, Dr. Ogbuku assured the governor of the NDDC’s new direction under his leadership—one anchored on transparency, institutional reform, and the delivery of legacy projects.
“We are shifting from transactional engagements to transformational governance. Since coming on board, we’ve cleared salary backlogs, partnered with NLNG to develop governance policies, and prioritized projects based on needs assessments,” the NDDC boss said.
He praised Cross River’s collaborative posture and pointed to current partnerships with the NLNG and NNPC, including support for a world-class hospital project in Ikom.
Dr. Ogbuku also extended a formal invitation to Governor Otu and the people of Cross River to participate in NDDC’s 25th anniversary celebration, scheduled for July 6–12, 2025, in Abuja. The grand finale, set for July 12, will feature a keynote lecture by Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former President Goodluck Jonathan expected as Special and Guest of Honour respectively.
“This silver jubilee is not just an NDDC celebration; it is a moment of shared reflection on the Niger Delta’s journey. The environmental, economic, and social challenges that affect us all must drive unified development action,” Dr. Ogbuku said.
As a follow-up to the visit, both parties agreed to deepen technical engagements, with Governor Otu directing key state officials to maintain close coordination with the NDDC’s Executive Director of Projects to fast-track priority interventions in Cross River.
