The Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of the Niger Delta River Basin Development Authority (NDRBDA), Hon. Ebitimi Amgbare, has explained why Chief Executive Officers of government agencies and parastatals are mobilising support for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term.
According to Hon. Amgbare, the initiative has become necessary to complement the broader campaign efforts of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the ward, local government and state levels.
Speaking recently in Abuja during an interview with newsmen, Hon. Amgbare said the administration of President Tinubu had introduced several programmes aimed at alleviating poverty and improving the welfare of Nigerians, particularly young people.
He cited the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) education support programme, which he said has provided direct benefits to about 1.6 million students. According to him, the initiative has provided financial relief to parents by supporting the payment of tuition and other educational needs, including the upkeep of their children.
Hon. Amgbare also described the Chief Executive Officers appointed by President Tinubu as seasoned technocrats who have been contributing to the transformation of the Nigerian economy through their respective areas of responsibility.
Speaking on his stewardship at the Niger Delta River Basin Development Authority, Hon. Amgbare explained that the agency covers Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers states, making its mandate extensive and strategic. He said the authority’s primary areas of focus include agricultural development, flood control and the provision of clean water.
On the agency’s efforts to promote commercial agriculture, Hon. Amgbare disclosed that some staff members of the authority were taken to Porto-Novo, Benin Republic, to acquire practical knowledge and expertise in modern commercial agriculture.
He added that, under his leadership, the agency has planted more than 2,000 oil palm seedlings as part of efforts to revive and expand oil palm production in the Niger Delta.
According to him, Nigeria has a long history of oil palm production, noting that Malaysia obtained oil palm seedlings from Nigeria and has since developed into one of the world’s leading producers of palm oil and palm kernel.
He said the NDRBDA is therefore encouraging the establishment of oil palm plantations across the Niger Delta as part of efforts to diversify the Nigerian economy away from excessive dependence on oil and gas.
Hon. Amgbare further disclosed that the agency is promoting commercial fishing and plans to equip people in the Niger Delta with modern fishing techniques.
“So far, I have engaged the services of fishing investors who will train the people of the Niger Delta on deep-sea fishing using modern fishing equipment,” he stated.
He also expressed optimism about the agricultural potential of the region’s wetlands, particularly for rice production.
“Our wetlands can support rice production all year round in the Niger Delta, which has the potential to contribute significantly to feeding the nation,” he said.
He noted that the Peremabiri Rice Farm in Bayelsa State, which had been moribund for some time, has been revitalised and is now producing more than 100,000 bags of rice annually.
Hon. Amgbare maintained that initiatives such as these demonstrate the potential of government agencies to contribute directly to food security, job creation, economic diversification and improved livelihoods across the country.
He therefore urged Nigerians to support policies and programmes that promote agricultural development, youth empowerment, economic diversification and sustainable development, stressing that the collective efforts of government agencies remain critical to achieving the objectives of the Tinubu administration