Otuaro Highlights Tinubu’s Dedication to Niger Delta’s Future at NDDC Summit

Port Harcourt, Rivers State – Dr. Dennis Brutu Otuaro, Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), emphasized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s dedication to sustainable development, stability, and peace in the Niger Delta region during the three-day Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Stakeholders Summit 2024. The summit, themed “Renewed Hope for Sustainable Development of the Niger Delta,” highlighted the critical role of local leaders and stakeholders in driving progress in the oil-rich region.

In his remarks at the summit’s technical session, Otuaro expressed confidence in Tinubu’s commitment to the region’s accelerated progress, assuring stakeholders that the President would not disappoint them. He stressed the importance of community involvement in peaceful initiatives to ensure sustainable growth.

The PAP recently held a four-day stakeholders’ engagement in Warri, Delta State, reinforcing the President’s commitment to peace and development under the “renewed hope” agenda. Otuaro underscored the necessity of considering the unique characteristics of riverine and upland communities in project designs and contract models.

“Stakeholders engagement by the NDDC has been long expected over the years. That is why we at the Presidential Amnesty Programme, two weeks ago, organised our stakeholders’ meetings (in Warri, Delta State) where we assured everybody about the renewed hope agenda of Mr. President,” Otuaro stated.

He further highlighted the vital role of peace and stability, involving traditional rulers, youths, and women, in the region’s development. Otuaro called on stakeholders to actively participate in the NDDC summit, encouraging the agency to fulfill its regional objectives.

“Today, all of us as stakeholders should grab the opportunity of this dialogue with both hands and encourage the management of the NDDC to continue with this stakeholders engagement,” he said. “When we encourage them, they will seek our opinions even on projects in our areas, especially on the immediate needs of communities.”

Otuaro also urged the NDDC to critically assess project designs for riverine areas to ensure they meet the specific needs of those communities compared to upland areas.