The member representing Rivers State in the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Tony Okocha, called on staff of the commission to collaborate with him in order to attract the needed development to the state.
Okocha made the call during a session with the commission’s staff, shortly after formally resuming office at the NDDC state office, located Olu-Obasanjo Road, in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
The state representative’s resumption followed the formal inauguration of the new NDDC Board by the Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs, Abubakar Momoh, last Thursday.
Okocha, who is also a prominent leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, assured that his representation at the Board will attract what is due the state to the people.
He said: “I am here with all of you this morning with all sincerity of purpose and the highest sense of responsibility. I have come to pay obeisance to all of you in your rights because I believe that respect is reciprocal.
“I believe that there will be no me without you, I believe that in one accord and in synergy we will be able to catapult Rivers NDDC to reputable point that people expect to hear.
“I am the new helmsman as appointed by His Excellency, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinibu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I’m billed to represent Rivers State on that Board. That Board is a Tact-Team, not neophytes.
“On that Board are very distinguished Nigerians of high repute so when we had the privilege of our names being mentioned, for me it’s a challenge and I will rest assure you that whatever is due us as a state, we will get.
“We will not go there to boot-lick, we will not go there to surrogate, we will go there because we know our rights. We are taught that within the ambit of your right you don’t request, you demand. So that which will be our right I will demand and those that will be privileges I will request.
“But I cannot achieve that without you. So I have come to seek your cooperation, I have come to seek your understanding, I have come to humble myself before you in the manner I come.”
Earlier, the Project Director of the State NDDC office, Theophilus Alagoa, assured the new state representative of staff support and collaboration.
Alagoa said: “Today is heading the vision of the founding fathers of NDDC, to have somebody who will speak for us at the Board, who will stand in for Rivers State to make sure Rivers State gets all that is required by its production capacity and by its metropolitan capacity; all that she deserves as a state. The state Rep is here, he has been inaugurated to do this work for Rivers State.
“State Rep, I want to assure you that as an engineer and as a Rivers citizen I will support all your actions to ensure that we get what is required for Rivers State.”
