Timi Alaibe

Newswatch:
NDDC was established in 2001 by the Obasanjo Administration to address underdevelopment in the Niger Delta. How far has it achieved its aim?

Timi Alaibe:
Well, I believe we have done fairly well, within available resources, considering the socio-economic and political circumstances of the Niger Delta region before 1999. We are all aware that things were very difficult for the people and for the region before this time. The level of poverty and unemployment was extremely high, the infrastructures had all but collapsed, our schools were in a terrible state of decay and in many of them our children studied on bare floors or under trees, there were few roads and poor sanitary conditions, health indicators were far below the national average and far below acceptable WHO standards, there was rampart pollution that affected our farmlands and rivers, which was really tragic, considering that farming and fishing were the traditional livelihoods of the people. And in response to this poor state of affairs, the people had begun to agitate for better living conditions, leading, in many instances, to violence inter- and intra communal clashes and threat to peace and security. The region was in a state of constant conflict, so much so that when President Olusegun Obasanjo came to the region to campaign for the 1999 general elections, he was so saddened by what he saw that he immediately promised to set up the institutional and political mechanisms that would address, in a much more fundamental way, the dilemmas of development and social justice that he encountered.

In fulfilling this promise, the bill for the establishment of the Niger Delta Development Commission was the second President Obasanjo sent to the National Assembly. The first Governing Board was inaugurated in December 2000, where Mr. President charged us to facilitate the rapid, even and sustainable development of the Niger Delta into a region that is politically peaceful, economical prosperous and ecologically regenerative. He also charged the Commission to facilitate the preparation of a regional Master Plan involving all stakeholders, in order to develop a framework of planned systematic development.

Since 2001, the Commission has worked hard to achieve this mandate. First, we adopted a two-prong approach to development; the first being an Interim Action Plan which addressed projects needing immediate attention, in order to calm tensions that were rife in the region. We also needed to complete all those abandoned projects. During this period, we undertook 2177 projects in the nine states within our coverage area and have, so far, completed about 34 per cent of them. These projects cover roads and bridges, health centres, science laboratories and school buildings (including furniture and science equipment), jetties, shore protection, canalisation and flood control, water supply, agriculture and fisheries and electrification. We also embarked on a free health mission for the rural poor, as well as a series of empowerment projects. This was important, because besides the physical infrastructures, it was vital for us to help reduce the level of poverty, unemployment and sense of desperation pervading the region at that time.

The second was developing the Master Plan, which involved region-wide consultations and collaboration with all stakeholders in the region, including all tiers of government, the communities and community groups, civil society organisations, the oil and gas companies and international agencies of development, such as the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP. We have just completed work on this Master Plan and we hope to make a formal public presentation sometime in March.

The question may be: have we done enough? Within the limited resources available to the NDDC, I believe we have done well, within the short period. After so many years of neglect, the task of development has been so daunting and so capital intensive that you can’t just claim to achieve so much success. Besides, as a result of its strategic economic and political status, the task of developing the Niger Delta should not and cannot be left to NDDC alone. Mr. President has recognised this fact and has always said that other stakeholders should complement NDDC’s efforts. In other to do this, we needed a platform, which the Niger Delta Regional Development Master Plan is now providing. With that, resources and responsibilities are properly distributed and applied among these stakeholders, to maximise potential and reduce both duplications and cost of delivery. NDDC’s Mandate, according to the NDDC Act 2000, becomes that of facilitation and coordination, as well as in discharging its primary duty of undertaking and implementing development initiatives.

So to answer your question again, I believe we have done well, in the sense that we have helped to reduce tension and level of poverty, we have brought development to many communities (the other day we commissioned a road project in Ikono Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. This road took more than thirty years to happen, until NDDC came into the picture and we completed it in less than two years. Also in Akwa Ibom, we completed an electrification project traversing though over 20 communities with heavy high tension poles with over-crossings and work is in progress on a major road construction and bridge project in Ibeno, where in all their history, there has not been any road, nor electricity. I mention these two, specifically, because of the strategic economic potentials of these areas. The same thing we have done in Abia, Bayelsa, Delta, Ondo, Imo, Rivers, Cross Rivers and Edo States, opening up communities and unleashing all the agents of socio-economic development and sustainable livelihoods.

What am I saying here? In undertaking these projects, we are always thinking of its aggregate impact on these communities in particular, and in the Niger Delta as a whole. That way, it is not entirely possible to say we have achieved this or that, because it is a continuous process and the impact of what we are doing will continue to be felt and will continue to impact on other areas of vital development.

Newswatch:
The Presidential Blueprint for socio-economic development of the Niger Delta region to lessen the youth restiveness is an additional effort at addressing the Niger Delta problem. What role does your Commission play in this Presidential Blueprint?

Timi Alaibe:
The NDDC is recognised by law as being the facilitator of development in the region. By that token, we are duty bound to coordinate and/or encourage all efforts geared towards regional development. That is our Mandate. The Presidential Blueprint is only part of broad vision of sustainable development by Mr. President for the region and within this is contained the aspirations of the NDDC towards stemming youth restiveness.

In the past six years, we have come to realise the gravity of the problems confronting the youths, in particular. Being the most vocal and energetic group, it has always been their lot to articulate the frustrations arising from the development dilemmas I had spoken about. Being aware of this fact, the NDDC has worked with all youth groups to properly articulate these grievances and work with the Commission towards ameliorating the conditions. This is at the heart of our empowerment programmes.

We discovered in the region a high population of unemployed, semi-skilled, half-educated youths and decided to put a number of programmes in place. We decided to their destructive engagement to constructive engagement. We have distributed buses and boats in our Mass Transit scheme, we have undertaken wide-ranging skill acquisitions programmes, from computer training to welding to mechanical business skills, catering and other vital skills needed within the economic environment of the region. We are also working at facilitating the establishment of SMEs to boost economic activity. To make this work, you need micro-financing, so we are looking at partnering with relevant institutions to adopt a programme of intervention.

We have also encouraged these youth groups to form cooperatives to engage in our agricultural and fishing programmes, as well as in aligning with a regional youth organisation, which would make communication easier and more fruitful. So, we have opened our doors to the youths and encouraged them to dialogue with us.

What we have been able to achieve is that these youths find in NDDC a credible advocate and ally, in their honest quest for better living conditions. When we started, it was a regular sight to see youths besiege our offices. That we have been able to take care of, through a system of pragmatic engagement and empowerment. Being the highest repository of the regions energy, both physical and intellectual, encouraging the youths this way has far-reaching implications, and that is where we have our highest hopes. In the years to come, many youths are going to be better skilled, better educated and more employable, and will become better partners for development. As partners for development, the tendency to become restive will reduce, because when you are better satisfied with your circumstances, there are fewer reasons to complain. Where you tend complain are in areas concerning provision of social services and amenities, which our overall plan for the region is already addressing.

Also, within this Presidential Blueprint is the work of the Presidential Committee on the Development of the Coastal States, PCCS, which NDDC is a major part of. The PCCS, just as the NDDC, reflect Mr. President’s broad and engaging vision for the region. But, as we have often said, funding is key to how much you can really achieve. I believe that is one of the reasons why Mr. President, for instance, increased funding to oil bearing states. Even though it is argued that more needs to be done, credit must go to the fact that an enormous amount of funds has been distributed to the Niger Delta states. How these funds are applied are another matter, but for NDDC to be truly effective in addressing youth restiveness, it is imperative to attract more funds to the Commission.

The Gulf of Guinea presents a lot of attractive options, especially considering what is going on in the Middle East. Yet, we stand the risk of missing a lot of what it offers, as a result of what is going on in the region at the moment. Unfortunately, it is no longer just an issue of agitating for better facilities, better social services, better amenities and all that. If you investigate properly, you will see that there seems to be a political undertone, and some level of criminality, more than anything else, to these happenings and it is important to look for solutions in a very broad sense.

Newswatch:
NDDC was said to be executing 247 projects in Bayelsa alone. Can you give us insight into few of the major projects?

Timi Alaibe:
Not just Bayelsa, but the entire region. As I said earlier, we have embarked on 2177 projects, and many more are now being awarded, as strategically designed to take care of urgent problems and needs. For instance, we have discovered that lack of portable water is a major issue in the region. Also, the epileptic nature of power supply makes it difficult to even enjoy the service, when we implement water projects. So, at the moment, we are implementing solar-powered water projects in several communities of the region, in line with Mr. President’s directive to make water more accessible to the people, and in response to the situation on the ground.

That said, NDDC has embarked on some very important projects. In Bayelsa State, some of these major projects include:

1. Kaiama – Opokuma – Sabagriea – Polaku Road and Bridges

2. Sagbama – Tungbo – Bolu-Orua – Angiama – Ebedebiri – Toru-Orua – Angalabiri – Ofoni – Ayamasa Road and Bridges.

3. Otuoke – Onuebum Road and Bridge

4. Odi – Trofani Road and Bridge

5. Ogbia – Nembe Highway (in partnership with SPDC), and

6. Ekeremor internal road and drainage network.

There are, of course, several other on-going projects which appear in some of the documents we have circulated in the media.

Newswatch:
The Commission has complained of lack of funds in the past. Has the Federal Government done anything to arrest the situation?

Timi Alaibe:
The Federal Government is doing the best it can in the circumstances. But the reality on ground is that the challenge of development is too enormous for one agency or institution to shoulder. That is why the law establishing the NDDC made provision for contributions from different stakeholders. The Federal Government is just one of them.

It must also be said that in the original bill sent to the National Assembly, Mr. President wanted contributions from state governments of the Niger Delta, as well. This was removed when the bill was passed into law. Despite that, however, I believe that the Niger Delta deserves a great injection of funds. By law, NDDC has been mandated to facilitate sustainable development. This does not preclude the efforts of other agencies and governments, but considering the enormity of the Niger Delta challenge, we could do with more funding.

For its global importance, particularly in the oil and gas industry, as well as in issues concerning the environment, (of course you know that the Niger Delta presents a lot of environmental and ecological challenges, due to long years of gas flaring, acid rain, ground water poisoning, erosion, flooding, silting and pollution), I believe it is imperative for the establishment of a global coalition of partners who will fund development in the region. While Private Public Partnerships are operating at the moment, I believe Governments should consider some kind of Public Public Partnerships, where governments and international agencies can help in providing funding, technical assistance, capacity building and institutional strengthening to boost the activities of the NDDC. To achieve sustainable development and sustainable livelihoods, as prescribed by the United Nations, this is simply inevitable, after so many years of neglect and infrastructural decay.

Newswatch:
The agitation and kidnapping in the Niger Delta area are attributable to the dearth of infrastructural facilities. What has NDDC done to curtail these acts that are causing a lot of embarrassment to the nation?

Timi Alaibe:
It is not only embarrassing, it is hurting the economy and affecting the things we are trying to do here. Not just NDDC, but the Federal Government’s economic plans of deregulation and capitalisation, as well as the economic and developmental efforts of the oil and gas companies, the state and local governments, the civil society organisations, the international agencies such as UNDP and DFID, and even the community based organisations.

You could say that the dearth of infrastructural facilities in the past played a role in the agitations that occurred. But a lot of work has gone into ensuring better living conditions for our people. Of course, a lot more needs to be done, but a lot of what is going on now has a lot more political undertone than the dearth of facilities. People who are conversant with happenings in the region know what the issues are. But the point must be made that these things are hurting the economic activities and plans of stakeholders to even provide these facilities and make life better for our people.

As they say, development can only happen in an environment of peace and security, where the conditions are favourable. At the moment, economic activities are slowing down. In some cases, expatriate engineers working on some of our projects are reluctant to go to site. The cost of moving equipment has risen drastically and these things are affecting the cost of projects. In the end, they make our work even tougher and the challenges more daunting. But we must remain resolute in our determination to provide better living conditions for our people. That way, perhaps, we may make it less attractive to argue that these things happen because the conditions are tough.

Ultimately, I believe there is light at the end of the tunnel. I believe that through dialogue, we can achieve greater peace and security for this important region and truly deliver development to our people.

Newswatch:
The President is said to be the most committed of all past leaders in addressing the Niger Delta problems. Do you agree with that and why?

Timi Alaibe:
I can tell you without a shadow of doubt, yes. Let me give you an example a few people may have missed. At the last meeting of the Presidential Committee of the Development of the Coastal States in Abuja, Mr. President stood for over eight hours, in one place, addressing every issue and every question concerning the development of the Niger Delta region. Every other person had the luxury of sitting down at some point. But, not he.

As insignificant, perhaps, as this may be, it points out the level of commitment and his willingness to make sacrifices, even personal ones, to ensure that the situation which we met in 1999, during his campaigns, were redressed, in a fundamental way. And that is the key to his commitment. President Obasanjo could have towed the line of past leaders and played politics with the lives and welfare of the people of this country. But, at the risk of being unpopular, at the risk of his political associates and even friends turning against him, he is standing for what is right and proper and just, and he is making fundamental changes to improve the welfare of the people.

Another occasion I remember clearly, which left a lasting impression on me was on Independence Day of 2005. After spending the early hours of the day performing the usual ceremonies, he spent the next ten hours in resolving the crises among youth groups in the Niger Delta, especially involving the Asari Dokubo and Ateke Tom groups. So concerned was he that we all had a late lunch together, and continued until close to midnight. And throughout that period, I was overwhelmed by his humility, in sharing his lunch with these warring groups, and his concerns and his commitment to pursue and enthrone peace in the region, and among these groups.

In the past, we had leaders who made only perfunctory efforts at addressing the daunting problems and the paradox of poverty in the region. Yet, in eight years, he has shown that it is possible to change all that, by being committed to establishing the institutional and democratic norms that would make this country truly great. In the areas of communication, the economy, banking, the armed forces, education, industry, corruption and due process, everywhere, President Obasanjo is re-engineering this country with a fresh, unflagging commitment to his ideals.

That same commitment he has brought to bear in the Niger Delta. Establishing the NDDC has been one of his major landmark achievements, in the sense that, at last, we have an agency that is truly committed to over all, long term development. The Master Plan which we have helped the region to develop will survive him, for instance, yet it will continue to bear the stamp of his vision and his commitment.

In the same vein, he increased funding for the states of the region and has set up the PCCS as another avenue for interaction and collaboration, towards achieving the goals he has set for this Administration.

Newswatch:
How will you describe the man Obasanjo at 70?

Timi Alaibe:
Obasanjo is a man of great passion. He is dogged in his beliefs and committed to his ideals. He is a man of incredible energy, who defies his age. He is at once father, friend, philosopher, advocate, champion and a humble yet great leader. And as he celebrates his 70th birthday, one can only wish him the very best. I pray that Almighty God will continue to bless him, grant him divine protection, and be gracious unto him.