NDDC’s Refreshing Treasure in the Skyline
Oluwabunmi Fache writes that the Niger Delta Development Commission’s new headquarters is a signature and legacy project consummated through the uncommon drive of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio
"When I enter a place, I must leave the place better than I met it.” Those were the words of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, when he addressed the management and staff of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, during an official visit to the agency in its rented headquarters on Aba Road, Port Harcourt.
Akpabio, who is the supervising minister for the foremost interventionist agency, could not stand the thought that the commission was paying over N200 million as rent yearly for its offices in the Rivers State capital. According to him, “the situation is disheartening.”
He, therefore, declared: “The era of NDDC paying rent for its corporate headquarters is gone for good.”
The NDDC rose to the occasion, pulled up its boot-straps and worked round the clock to deliver on the project. The result is already dazzling in the skyline of the Marine Base section of the Garden City.
It is heartening that President Muhammadu Buhari will on Thursday inaugurate the 13-floor new permanent headquarters of the foremost interventionist agency in the Niger Delta region. It is a signature and legacy project consummated through the uncommon drive of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.
Apparently, Mr. President had waited with baited breath for the historic event. In his Democracy Day national broadcast, the President stated emphatically: “The Head Office of the NDDC will be commissioned shortly.”
The new headquarters is certainly a project to be proud of and one can understand the interest from the Presidency and the Ministry of the Niger Delta Affairs to see to its commissioning.
The success story of this project heralds a new beginning for the NDDC, especially at a time it was going through a forensic audit.
Akpabio captures the mood thus: “The most thrilling thing for me is that change has come to the NDDC. I must commend the management and staff of the Commission for making this possible. Despite the criticisms and distractions, some positive change has taken place in the NDDC and I like to see progress because I am a development-oriented politician.”
“The completion of the new NDDC headquarters is a positive story for Nigeria, especially when you consider that the project has taken over 24 years to get to this point.
The final phase of the journey to the commissioning of the multi-billion permanent headquarters was put in motion on January 13, when the NDDC Interim Administrator, Mr EfiongAkwa, set up a committee for the completion and commissioning of the high-rise office complex.
He also inaugurated another committee to drive the commissioning of completed projects across the Niger Delta region, stating that henceforth the Commission would emphasise the completion and commissioning of big ticket regional projects.
He said it was a thing of joy that the headquarters, which hedescribed a befitting testimony of what the NDDC was capable of achieving, was completed during his time as the chief executive. “Now, we have an impressive headquarters building for the NDDC. We are looking forward to the historic commissioning,” he said.
According to Akwa, “seeing is believing. The people of the Niger Delta have always wanted to see the extent of services rendered by the NDDC as an interventionist agency. People are tired of listening to stories because they want to see physical projects on the ground.”
He noted: “It is important that we invite all key stakeholders to witness the commissioning ceremonies. This is what Niger Deltans and indeed Nigerians want to see.”
Akwa noted that the new headquarters would accommodate all the directorates and departments of the Commission, stating: “It is a one-stop-shop. A place everyone would be happy about. The ancillary building will accommodate facilities such as a medical centre, restaurant, and bank, among others. All the service equipment for the main building, including electrical equipment such as lifts and escalators are working perfectly.”
He remarked that the old office presented a lot of obstacles, especially in the area of office space, which was taken care of in the new complex. “This new complex is more spacious and there are enough rooms for everyone. Whatever was an obstacle at the old office would not be an obstacle here,” he observed.
Akwa noted that unlike the office on Aba Road, the new complex would be connected to the national electricity grid and provision had been made for alternative source of power.
Taking visiting members of the House of Representatives Committee on NDDC round the massive edifice recently, an elated Akwa said: "I want to give all the credit to PresidentBuhari for directing the Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Akpabio, to ensure that history is made here.
"I also want to give credit to everyone who has worked in the past to make this dream come true. This is a headquarters anyone should be proud of, because it provides us with a better environment to meet the core mandate that NDDC was set up to achieve."
He said it was remarkable that the NDDC under the supervision of Akpabio achieved what could not be done in two decades. Indeed, it is a demonstration of the level of commitment of the new leadership in the Commission which promised to make a clean break from the past, while placing the NDDC on a new pedestal.
The NDDC Director Project Management, Engr Julius Tonye-George, shared the enthusiasm of the Chief Executive, observingthat everyone in the Commission was relieved that the new headquarters building, initiated by the defunct Oil Minerals Producing Areas Development Commission, OMPADEC, in 1996 has come to fruition.
He said it was not pleasant that for 21years of its existence, theNDDC, operated from Dappa Biriye House, an eight floor property in the heart of Port Harcourt, belonging to the Rivers Sate Government.
Thankfully, he said, that anomalous situation has come to an end as the new headquarters would provide a secure and conducive working environment for staff, as well as add value to the work of the NDDC towards meeting its mandate of facilitating the rapid development of the Niger Delta region.
He explained that the new office complex included a four-storeyancillary building, gate house and security blocks, adding:“Other facilities include drains, paved walkways, parking lots, retaining wall, Sewage treatment plant, perimeter fence and installation of four 800KVA and one 1000KVA generators.”
The director assured that the complex would accommodate all the directorates, departments and units of NDDC, stating: “It will provide a conducive environment where government business would be carried out with ease and convenience. Besides, he added, “the project will solve the age-long flooding of the William Jumbo neighbourhood by providing a network of perimeter drains which will discharge through double-cell culverts on Eastern By-pass into the creeks.”
“A lot of new things were added to the original design. For instance, the security system has been upgraded to ensure that the complex is comprehensively monitored.
“The complex is fitted with state of the art facilities such as modern security and safety system, access control and underground firefighting system.”
One of the many top government officials who have visited the completed new headquarters is the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Dr Babayo Ardo. He was obviously satisfied with what he saw as he remarked that the building tells a positive story for the NDDC.
He said further: “From the years of OMPADEC to NDDC is over 20 years. For the NDDC to be operating from a rented building is not ideal to put it mildly. Good enough, the Commission is now being refocused for efficient service delivery.”
Sharing his own thoughts about the new headquarters, the NDDC Director of Supplies, Mr. Charles Obi Odili, described the office complex as “a testimony to hard work and creativity. It shows that the present management is determined to drive starprojects and deliver on the mandate of the Commission.
“The building is a monument of excellence. It stands as a towering edifice that speaks to time and generation. It records that once upon a time, there was a management that was determined to drive and see that things were done properly.
“Today, we are all living witnesses to the fact that this building has been delivered. It stands as a shining example of what a serious minded management can do.”
The Project Manager of the lead construction firm for the project, Engr. Hosam Gaafar, recalled that the site was handed over to them in 2018.
He said: “Initially, we had some difficulties because the NDDC had some issues with the previous contractor. So, we could not have access to some of the equipment on the site.
“It was not until September 2018 when the minister visited the site and thereafter addressed the funding challenges that we started serious work on the site. When we came to the site, we met an abandoned project. The structure was just standing, just cement work. We took over the project when it was at about 20 per cent work done. Today, we have fully completed the project.”