By Emmanuel Thomas I Tuesday, 06, 2026
PORT HARCOURT — THE Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has infused fresh energy into its Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) as part of its ongoing commitment to promoting accountability, integrity, and good governance across the Niger Delta region.
Speaking during the formal inauguration of the revamped unit at the Commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, the NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, described ACTU as a critical mechanism for driving ethical conduct, preventing corruption, and rebuilding public confidence in the interventionist agency.
Dr. Ogbuku, who was represented by the Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Alabo Boma Iyaye, charged the newly appointed members of the anti-corruption unit to uphold the highest standards of integrity, declaring that there would be “no room for corruption” under the current administration.
Acknowledging that corruption remains a global challenge, the NDDC boss urged the unit—which operates as an in-house arm of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC)—to systematically block loopholes and strengthen internal controls.
He further directed the Commission’s Internal Audit Department to collaborate seamlessly with ACTU to reinforce institutional accountability.
”As members of the ACTU, your integrity must remain unquestionable. If those entrusted with fighting corruption become compromised, everything is at stake. You must lead by example and uphold the values of transparency and accountability,” Ogbuku warned.
He expressed gratitude to the ICPC leadership for its sustained partnership, noting that the new ACTU members were rigorously vetted and selected based on competence and track records.
Ogbuku reaffirmed that the current NDDC Board and Management are fully aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes transparency and effective service delivery for the people of the Niger Delta.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the ICPC, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, commended the NDDC leadership for taking a proactive step toward strengthening institutional integrity.
Represented by the Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner for the Rivers and Bayelsa Zonal Office, Mrs. Ekere Usiere, the ICPC Chairman explained that ACTU was conceptualized in 2001 in collaboration with the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
The mandate, he noted, is to serve as an internal watchdog to identify and remedy systemic weaknesses before they are exploited.
Dr. Aliyu, however, cautioned the committee against high-handedness. He urged them to discharge their duties with fairness and professionalism, warning strictly against witch-hunting or abusing the powers reposed in them.
Accepting the responsibility, the newly inaugurated Chairperson of the NDDC ACTU, Mrs. Deinma Ebong, pledged to seamlessly bridge the gap between the anti-graft ideals of the ICPC and the daily operational framework of the NDDC.
Mrs. Ebong clarified that the primary focus of her team would be system-strengthening and corruption prevention, rather than merely policing staff members. She emphasized that the unit would heavily invest in ethics education, continuous staff sensitization, and open collaboration across all directorates, departments, and state offices.
While thanking the NDDC management for the confidence reposed in her team, Ebong appealed to the Commission’s entire workforce for maximum cooperation to collectively advance the agency’s transparency agenda.
