NDDC Renews Commitment to Partner with Foreign Investors

The Executive Director Projects of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Engr. Samuel Adjogbe, FNSE, has said the Niger Delta Region remains a viable place for foreign investment. 

Adjogbe, who represented the Managing director of the Interventionist Agency, Mr. Nsima Ekere, made this remark during a meeting with a Consortium of Chinese Construction Firms at the NDDC Headquarters, Port Harcourt. He assured that, as a region with immense natural resources, a good return on any foreign investment in the Niger Delta Region was guaranteed. 

The consortium of Chinese Investors led by Miss Julie Zhu, Managing Director of Phoenix Industrial Development Ltd is billed to undertake the dualization of the 48km Abak-Ete East West Road in Akwa Ibom State. 

Speaking on behalf of the Chinese Group of Investors, Julie Zhu, affirmed the willingness of the Group to invest in the Niger Delta Region. She said: “As against talks of insecurity and restiveness in the region, we believe that this indeed, is a feasible venture to undertake.” 

The Executive Director Projects noted that the move made to invest in the region was in furtherance of the 4-R Initiative of the Interventionist Agency which included restoring NDDC to its core mandate. 

Engr.  Adjogbe said: “Apart from the manifold benefits of having quality infrastructures in the region, this joint venture will aid in promoting foreign relations and boosting the confidence of those interested in doing business in the Niger Delta Region.” 

He further reiterated the commitment of the present NDDC Board and Management to do things differently, irrespective of criticism and blackmail from people, who hitherto have benefited from the old ways of doing things in the Commission.

Some members of the consortium of foreign investors present at the meeting included Mr. Gerardo Della Santa, MD/ CEO Alcon Nigeria Limited;  Wang Li,  Chairman of Road and Bridge International; Zhuang Yong of JSTI Group; Messrs Levi Wei, Kang Juan, Wei Long Long and Larry Huaiqiang Li, all of China Shandong International Economic and Technical Cooperation Group Limited. 

And the NDDC team was represented by Engr Emmanuel Audu Ohwavborua, Director of Project Monitoring and Supervision (PMS), Engr Eyoette Etim, Acting Director, Utility, Infrastructure Development and Waterways (UIDW) Directorate, Engr Abraham Ondukwu, Assistant Director, UIDW Directorate and Engr Emeka Ani, Technical Assistant to EDP.