By Dormene Mbea
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, on Sunday commissioned the 9.4-kilometre Ogu Community Road Network and a 1,500-seater Royal Hall constructed by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in Ogu, Ogu-Bolo Local Government Area of Rivers State, describing the projects as clear reflections of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Commissioning the projects, Wike expressed satisfaction with the quality of infrastructure delivered by the Commission, noting that the developments underscored the Federal Government’s commitment to transforming the Niger Delta region.
“I am overwhelmed by the current level of development in Ogu, facilitated by the NDDC.
I have seen the network of concrete roads with drainages and I am impressed,” Wike said.
He commended the leadership of the Commission, attributing its performance to the synergy between the Managing Director and the Executive Director of Finance and Administration.
“The NDDC has impacted positively on the lives of the people of Ogu. This is largely because of the working understanding between the Managing Director and the Executive Director, Finance and Administration.
They have demonstrated that they are working for the people,” he added.
Wike, who noted that it was his first participation in an NDDC project commissioning, said his presence was informed by his confidence in the current management of the Commission.
He also urged government agencies and stakeholders to collaborate in ensuring the success of President Tinubu’s development agenda.
In his remarks, the NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, described the projects as tangible dividends of the Renewed Hope Agenda, emphasizing that the Commission was committed to delivering measurable results across the oil-producing region.
“We are spreading the good news of President Tinubu through visible and impactful projects,” Ogbuku stated, while describing Wike as a “champion of development” with visible footprints in Rivers State and the Federal Capital Territory.
Ogbuku reaffirmed the Commission’s resolve to change the development narrative in the Niger Delta, stressing that the NDDC was engaging stakeholders to foster harmony and accelerate regional growth.
Also speaking, the Executive Director of Finance and Administration, Alabo Boma Iyaye, said the people of Ogu were elated by the projects and assured that the current board would sustain the momentum of development across communities.
Providing technical details, the NDDC Director of Project Monitoring and Supervision, Engr. Gbenga Omowale, explained that the Ogu Community Road Network, executed in Phases 1 and 2, consists of a 9.450km rigid pavement with an average width of 7.3 metres.
The project includes 12,600 kilometres of reinforced concrete line drains, slabs, and ring culverts designed to improve drainage and durability.
He noted that the road network would enhance connectivity among villages in Ogu and neighbouring communities, while boosting socio-economic activities along the corridor.
Omowale added that the 1,500-capacity Royal Hall was equipped with modern facilities, including firefighting systems, acoustic wall treatments for sound control and heat absorption, multiple air conditioning units, and an advanced public address system to ensure comfort and functionality. In a goodwill message, the Chairman of the Ogu Divisional Council of Chiefs, Chief Lawrence Egbelekpeke, expressed gratitude to the NDDC for the projects and praised the quality of execution, describing the developments as transformational for the community.
