The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) says it has adopted a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and the Governance Advisory Policies, as approved by the Commission’s Governing Board.

This was part of the resolutions contained in a communique issued at the end of the three-day NDDC Management Retreat at the Landmark Events Centre, Owerri, Imo State.

The communique stated that the SOP and Governance Advisory Policies “shall constitute the Commission's Rule Book and strictly guide all processes and operations within the Commission.”

The Management Retreat, which was anchored on the theme: “Consolidating Performance and Repositioning the Commission for Strategic Impact in 2026,” was attended by the Executive Director of Finance and Administration, Alabo Boma Iyaye; the Executive Director, Projects, Dr Victor Antai, the Executive Director, Corporate Services, Otunba Ifedayo Abegunde, and all the Directors of the Commission.

The retreat stated that Leadership overload can be addressed by strict adherence to the Commission’s Standard Operating Procedures.

It added: “To significantly reduce cases of leadership misalignment in the Commission, staff shall be deployed to areas of expertise and specific skills gaps in the personnel shall be addressed through staff training/retraining.

The communique emphasised the need to establish a clear mentoring system and succession plan in the Commission, stating that it “shall comply with accountability frameworks to help staff understand their roles and align their services towards actualising the goals of the Commission.”

The communique declared: “To reinforce good behaviour, the Commission’s performance management systems should be clear on rewards for individuals and teams. The Commission must ensure the enforcement of staff discipline in line with appropriate Public Service Rules and the SOPs.”

It was also resolved that “the communication channel in the Commission should be enhanced to ensure official communication flow from the top without evading communication to superior staff in Directorates, Departments and Units. Also, communication gaps should be bridged through regular meetings by respective units in the Commission.

The communique added: “There is a need to further empower the mission-critical roles in the Commission. These include strengthening State Offices, enhanced women empowerment programmes, and proper project sustainability plans.

“The Commission needs to be at the forefront of institutionalising developmental planning. To this end, it is imperative to commence the full Implementation of the revised Niger Delta Regional Master Plan, anchored on the 7 pillars from the Sustainable Development Goals. Board and Management actions should align with the Master Plan, which becomes a tool for measurable impact in 2026.

“The Commission must sustain continuous stakeholder engagement for strategic impact that aligns with stakeholder needs.”

The resolutions stated that “to ensure an effective performance system and implementation of the SOPs, the Commission must ensure that every staff member has a clearly set out job description.

“To ensure an effective feedback mechanism for our projects and programs, there must be a post-intervention evaluation.”

It was agreed that “to enable the Commission to pay legacy debts, the Commission needs to explore other sources of revenue generation other than the Government and Oil and Gas Companies by exploring Partnerships using other resources within the region.

“The Commission must conduct a needs assessment prior to project conception to ensure ownership of projects by the beneficiaries and optimal utilisation of facilities.”

The communique stated: “More emphasis should be placed on monitoring and evaluation, particularly post-project monitoring and evaluation, to have proper feedback on the projects and programmes.

“There is a need for harmonisation of project data to determine the status of all the Commission’s projects to clearly indicate completed ones and ongoing ones.”

It added: “Beyond the social component of our projects, the Commission should incorporate economic considerations and consider investing in emerging clean energy technologies.”

Distinguished Resource persons delivered presentations on a range of topical issues, while participants constructively brainstormed issues affecting the Commission and proffered solutions during the practical, interactive sessions.

•PHOTO: NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku (2nd left), the Executive Director of Finance and Administration, Alabo Boma Iyaye (left the Executive Director, Corporate Services, Otunba Ifedayo Abegunde (2nd right, and Dr Atteh Beredugo, during the 2026 NDDC Management Retreat in Owerri, Imo State.

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