The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Nsima Ekere, has assured that the Commission will continue to support the development of appropriate manpower to facilitate the sustainable development of the Niger Delta region.
Ekere gave the assurance when members of the executive of the National Association of Nigerian students (NANS) paid him a courtesy visit at the headquarters of the Commission in Port Harcourt.
The NDDC Chief Executive Officer, who was represented by the Director Special Duties, Dr Princewill Ekanim, declared that the Commission would continue to play its role in developing and supporting efforts to advance education, stressing that “we can facilitate sustainable developments if we build human capacity.”
The NDDC boss affirmed the determination of the interventionist agency to continue investing in the education of the youths of the Niger Delta. He stated that the Commission was currently involved in the 2018 Foreign Post-Graduate Scholarship Programme for students where 200 graduates have been selected to study abroad.
He said: “We have sponsored over 1,409 post-graduate students to different foreign universities in key skill areas needed in the oil and gas industry. The Foreign Post-Graduate Scholarship Programme has produced many great stories, including Mr. Obong Peters, a PhD Student who won the three minutes thesis competition in Australia and Mr. Augustine Osarogiagbon of Memorial University, who completed his PhD in less than the stipulated time.”
Speaking earlier, the National President of NANS, Comrade Bamidele Danielson Akpan, expressed gratitude to the NDDC for its numerous contributions to the development of education in the country, especially in the Niger Delta region.
He said: “We are here to celebrate excellence and class in NDDC. We have never had it this good. We appreciate the support the MD gave to us during the NANS election that saw the emergence of a student from the south-south region as the president.
Akpan commended the NDDC Managing Director for providing “purposeful leadership” and for promoting peace in the Niger Delta region. He pledged the support of NANS for the educational programmes of the NDDC.