Nigeria, Sep 29, 2016 – The Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Mrs Ibim Semenitari, has assured the Nigerian Police Force of the continued support of the Commission in its efforts to provide security and fight crime.
Mrs. Semenitari gave the assurance yesterday when the Assistant Inspector General, AIG, of Police in charge of Zone 6, Calabar; Mr Abubakar Marafa, paid her a courtesy visit at the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt. The AIG was accompanied by the Rivers State Police Commissioner, Mr Francis Odesanya.
She said the NDDC appreciated the services of the police to the society, adding that as an interventionist agency, the Commission had a responsibility to make sure that those who safeguard the lives and property of the people were given the necessary backing to enhance their capacity to maintain security in the Niger Delta.
The Chief Executive Officer affirmed that the NDDC had continued to enjoy robust support from the Nigerian Police. She stated: “We make bold to say that this Commission is kept safe largely by the Nigerian Police and for this we are grateful. It’s also because of the work of your men and other sister security agencies that we can continue to do the work we do in the region, especially with the kinds of harassments some of our contractors face.”
According to the NDDC boss, “in the course of ensuring that development happens in the Niger Delta, we have had the misfortune of losing people in the security agencies. So we are conscious of how much you sacrifice to keep our region safe.”
Mrs Semenitari stated that as part of its mandate, the NDDC would always intervene to assist security agencies working in the Niger Delta. “The reason is that we are here to provide the infrastructure that will aid all development agencies and organisations to work and function appropriately,” she said.
She thanked the AIG for appreciating the contributions of the NDDC, noting that the Commission was conscious of the need to include support to security agencies in its yearly budget. She said: “When I came on board, one of the things I did was to quickly complete and deliver the six-flat complex meant for senior officers of the Rivers State Police Command. In addition to this, we have consistently provided operational vehicles and I know that my predecessors had delivered 100 vehicles to the police.
“We also continue to support with regards to equipment and other things that can make life easier for these men who spend night and day to protect life and property in our country.“
Mrs Semenitari said that President Muhammadu Buhari had directed her to ensure that no community or section of the region was left behind in NDDC’s development efforts. ”That is what we have tried to do in the last 9 months and this is why we have intervened to ensure that the roads in the region are what they should be. We have received several requests and I am sure that when you were coming from Calabar you did not face the nightmare of the Calabar-Itu-road,” Mrs Semenitari said.
In his remarks, the Assistant Inspector General of Police commended the NDDC for providing facilities to enhance the operations of the Police and other security agencies and urged it not to relent. He said that the police needed the cooperation and support of all organisations to succeed.
Mr Marafa acknowledged that the NDDC had consistently demonstrated commitment to assisting the Nigeria Police, not only in enhancing its operational capacity, but also in addressing the welfare needs of personnel of the force.
Meanwhile, the NDDC is also building barracks for the Nigerian Police Special Protection Unit, Base 6, at Omagwa in the outskirts of Port Harcourt.
The complex contains an administrative building and six blocks of residential
quarters. The project which was inspected recently by members of the Senate Committee on the Niger Delta is over 90 per cent completed.
