Frequent Leadership Shakeups Crippling NDDC’s Progress – Jonathan Laments

Speaking during the grand finale of the NDDC’s 25th anniversary celebration held in Port Harcourt on Saturday, Jonathan expressed concern over the Commission’s inability to complete numerous projects across the region, which were intended to improve the quality of life for residents.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

He emphasized, “A critical issue I must highlight—also mentioned by the pioneer chairman, Onyema Ugochukwu—is that the constant changes in NDDC leadership have significantly hindered development efforts. As Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala pointed out in her keynote address, many projects remain abandoned.”

“These projects weren’t left unfinished out of negligence, but rather due to the instability in leadership. Without continuity and proper planning, the Commission defaults to contractor-driven projects rather than well-thought-out development plans.”

Jonathan noted that the Commission has seen 11 different Chief Executive Officers in its 25-year history. “This means each CEO averaged a tenure of just two years and three months. With such a short window, how can anyone effectively plan or complete impactful projects for the region?”

He, however, praised President Bola Tinubu for retaining Dr. Samuel Ogbuku as the NDDC Managing Director, interpreting the decision as a sign of the President’s genuine commitment to the region’s progress.

“Today we are able to celebrate progress partly because Ogbuku has remained in office for over two years. Though he was appointed by former President Buhari in late 2022 and assumed duties in January 2023, President Tinubu, upon assuming office in May 2023, chose to keep him in place. Had he removed him just five months into the role, the progress we’re acknowledging today might not have been possible,” Jonathan added.