By Godwin Anene
The new Acting Managing Director of the Interim Management Committee of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Professor Kemebradikumo Pondei, has assumed duty as the head of the interventionist agency with a call on Niger Delta youths to learn to be hardworking.
He also expressed that President Muhammadu Buhari is unhappy with some of the activities of youths in the region.
Prof. Pondei stated this on Thursday when some youths bodies in the region visited him after assuming office as the new Managing Director of the commission.
The new NDDC MD, who however, did not state the reason for which Mr President is angry, promised to reposition the agency to meet the yearnings of the people of the region.
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He told the visiting youths that, “You must organise yourselves and be ready to work hard. President Buhari’s administration is not happy about some of the activities of youths in the region. I encourage all of you to organise yourselves and be ready to work together.
“We want to make sure development trickles down to every community in the Niger Delta. For that to happen, we need to work together. I urge you to sit up and share ideas with us on ways we can do things differently.”
On strengthening peace in the region, the new NDDC boss told the youths that the trouble with the region was self inflicted and much of the needed change to embrace peace for development would come from within.
“Let us come together to ensure NDDC is known for progress. We want a situation where in the next ten years, you will be proud to say you are from the Niger Delta. So, let us stop all these fighting and other social vices because we are the ones killing ourselves. Let us try to do things differently.”
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On the focus of his Interim Management Committee in delivering dividends of the commission, Pondei said, “We must go back to time-tested activities like agriculture. We have left agriculture behind and other people are now coming to Niger Delta to farm and fish for us.
“Going forward, the NDDC is going to put more efforts to make sure that people who are going into agriculture and any form of businesses are empowered and given the opportunity to succeed.”
