The Edo State Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mrs. Mercy Babawale, has called on communities across the Niger Delta to take ownership of development projects in their areas, stressing that sustained community involvement is critical for the success and maintenance of NDDC initiatives.
Speaking at a stakeholder engagement event themed “Capacity Building Engagement: Community Ownership & Protection of NDDC Projects,” on Wednesday in Benin, Mrs. Babawale urged youths and community members to actively monitor projects from inception to completion.
“You have to take charge of the projects. You take charge of that which we are bringing to your community. You people should help ensure that these projects are properly developed and maintained.
“We initiate the projects, but once completed, they belong to the community. From that point on, you are the owners and custodians of these developments, ” she said
The director emphasised the importance of vigilance, urging participants to flag any substandard work by contractors before projects are completed.
“So, you know that when projects come to a community, it is not a stranger who just runs them.
“We expect that you will also be a part of the development of the projects. When there is a problem with the standard, you have to call us and say, ‘what we are seeing now is not what is projected,’” she explained.
Babawale highlighted the structured approach the NDDC employs for project execution, noting that site handling involves oversight from both technical staff and community representatives.
“For each of our projects, we have processes.
”When a contractor gets a project, we go over the site. In the process, the State Coordinator and community representatives play a part in the site handling process to ensure standards are met,” she added.
Also addressing stakeholders, Sir Ovie Mathias, Project Coordinator, encouraged participants to communicate community challenges and needs directly to the commission.
“I want to encourage everyone to pay attention and share the challenges you face in your communities.
”Projects are initiated based on assessed community needs, so your input is critical. We also encourage communities to submit proposals in writing to the commission for consideration,” he said.
The meeting drew a large turnout of youth and community representatives from across the Niger Delta, highlighting a growing emphasis on participatory governance and local accountability in the execution of development projects.
