IMO STATE NDDC: MAKING THE DIFFERENCE WITH DR KIRIAN C. UCHEGBU

 

By Stanford Arinze Nwokedi 

This year -  2025, marks the silver jubilee for Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC. That means it's been twenty five (25) long years since NDDC as an interventionist agency has been in existence. It has, therefore, been a season of stocktaking and deep introspection into the activities and programs of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.

Across the Niger Delta Region, so much has been achieved in impacting meaningful projects and programs that better the lot of the people directly. In Imo State, the wave of the impacts of the recent times, has dwarfed the achievements in the over two decades' existence of the Niger Delta Development Commission. 

Imo people are today witnessing, for the very first time, in the quick two successive terms of the Imo State Representative in the Board of the NDDC, Dr Kirian Uchegbu, what truly are the original objectives of the Commission.

While regionally, the Niger Delta Development Commission is celebrating the transaction-to-transformation transition of the vision-backed, accountable and dynamic leadership of the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Chief Samuel Ogbuku, Ph.D, what Imo State is evidently celebrating are the harvests of selflessness, people-centredness, credible inflow of projects, empowerments that are across board and the dreams dreamt in 2000 to accelerate economic prosperity, promote social stability, curb youths' restiveness and advance inclusive governance.

Something was amiss all these years in Imo NDDC. Definitely, the era we are in is one that showcases evidences of an interventionist agency doing the needful and changing the old narratives.

Dr Kirian C. Uchegbu is an exemplar for what selflessness, credibility and experience can bring to the table in domesticating the new transaction-to-transformation paradigm of the NDDC in Imo State. Being a  product of the visionary doggedness of the Governor of Imo State, His Excellency Dist Sen Hope Uzodimma, who intently nominated him to the NDDC Board, Dr Kirian Uchegbu has not disappointed his political benefactor and the father of the New Imo known for being aggressive in deliberate and sustainable development as well as being definitive in  migrating from corrupt leadership to an era of servant-leadership. No wonder the Dr Kirian Uchegbu era is characterized by real impacts in agriculture, welfare, infrastructure and human development propensity.

The direct benefits of the Dr Kirian Uchegbu kind of open and transparent representation of Imo State include the new vista of social harmony, zero entropy in terms of youths restiveness and the enormity of the NDDC's sundry interventions, collaborations and programs in Imo State.

In Imo State, for the very first time, we can joyfully take stock of the interventions of NDDC across the State. The emergency intervention of the NDDC on the 30-kilometer Okigwe-Arondizuogu-Akokwa Road in Ideato Local Government Area has restored the failed sections of the important road. The Udenwa Estate internal roads which had slowed down the area have received the NDDC magic touch. Residents there are heaving sighs of relief. No more frequent visitations to the Mechanic workshops. The Obinze-Umuokanne-Ohaji-Egbema Road connecting several Communities with Owerri is another goal scored by the NDDC. The construction of roads in Mopol 18, Irete area by NDDC also has enhanced real estate values in the area. The 24km dual Carriage way linking Imo State to Rivers State through the oil-bearing communities is another testimony of NDDC's development strides. Avu-Adapalm-Etekwuru Road in Imo State and Ogba/Egbema Local Government Area of Rivers State is another very pivotally important project being pursued by NDDC. It was a delight a couple of months ago when the NDDC commissioned the multi-kilometer/multi-LGAs Rd - Owerre Nkworji-Abba- Eziama/ Nkwerre-Nwangele-Isiala Mbano Road. Et cetera.

Beyond road infrastructure, the collaborative synergy between Imo State Government and the NDDC has brought about a wonderful edge in the illumination of Imo highways. The NDDC has, as a way of appreciating the Infrastructure Governor of Imo State, His Excellency Dist Sen Hope Uzodimma, whom they nicknamed "Road Master", undertaken the responsibilities of illuminating all new road constructions, reconstructions and rehabilitation done by Gov Hope Uzodimma. Going by the enormous number of such roads, in excess of 120 roads, the security and aesthetic implications of this to night life and the economy of the State can best be imagined. This is apart from the illumination of public spaces, Churches and major streets across Imo State.

The incontrovertible truth is that with the recipe of continual engagements with the youths, women and communities, identifying with the people, without discrimination, in equitable distribution of palliatives, empowerment packages, flood disaster emergencies and such sundry cases, the Kirian Uchegbu era promises to achieve a sustainable development paradym fit enough to become a legacy and even challenge  future representatives.

No doubts, the era of impacts is here.