The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has tied its N1.911 trillion 2024 Budget to 1,006 legacy projects in the nine states of the Niger Delta.
The commission explained at the weekend that its performance in driving development in the region encouraged the National Assembly to approve its 2024 budget.
The NDDC said in a statement by its Director, of Corporate Affairs, Seledi Thomson-Wakama, that its current leadership approach to development and collaboration was yielding results as exemplified in the completion of five legacy projects.
“These landmark projects, among the 92 infrastructure projects completed at the cost of N84 billion across the nine mandate states of the NDDC, speak of the impact the Commission is making in the quest to quicken the pace of development in Nigeria’s oil-rich region”, the statement said.
The commission added that the 2024 appropriation was anchored on the theme, “Budget of Renewed Hope” in line with the Federal Government’s budget, adding that the proposal sought to move the NDDC from transaction to transformation.
It noted that the appropriation was a product of a participatory process that involved all the major stakeholders in the Niger Delta.
The NDDC said: “The 2024 budget plan to raise N1 trillion from development and commercial banks to complete 1,006 legacy projects across the region is pragmatic. It should be encouraged to succeed because it targets specific projects, including roads, bridges, electricity projects, school buildings, hospitals, shore protection, and reclamation”.
It named some of the legacy projects captured in the 2024 Budget as the Obehie-Azumini-Etim Ekpo Road, linking Abia to Akwa Ibom states valued at 39.8 billion; the Iko-Atabrikang-Akat-Opolom-Ikot Iwang-Okot Utip-Iwuo Achang Road with 70-meter span bridge valued at N18.9 billion; and power station for Oron, comprising 58km, 123Kv Double Circuit Transmission line from Eket to Oron in Akwa Ibom at N48.1 billion;
Others are the Otuogori-Otuegwe Bridge in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State valued at N29 billion; Ogheye-koko-Escravos Road, Phase II in Delta State, N26 billion; Uzere-Patani Road in Delta State, N17 billion; Okpella-North Ihie-Agerebode Road Phase II in Edo State N31.9 billion; Ugbo-Oghoye Road, Phase I in Ilaje LGA of Ondo State, N70 billion and Ahoada-Abua-Degema Road and Bridges in Rivers State, N27 billion.
