By Chinonso Alozie

Owerri- The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has launched Operation Light Up Niger Delta Region in eleven communities in Imo state.

The Federal Commissioner representing Imo state at the NDDC Board, Hon Dr Kyrian Chidiebere Uchegbu disclosed this to newsmen at Owerri, the Imo State headquarters.

He mentioned that; “Not less than eleven autonomous communities in five Local Government Areas of Imo State have benefited extensively of this NDDC’S rural and urban development program within this week.
The benefitting Communities are Nkume, Amaifeke, Osina, Umuguma, Mbano ,Ndionyemobi, Orsu obodo, K-Beach, Eziorsu, Nnebukwu, Nkwesi, Mgbele autonomous communities and its environs in the following LGAs; Njaba, Orlu, Isiala Mbano, Owerri West, Idiato North and Oguta LGAS respectively.”

He reassured the people that; “The whole autonomous communities in Imo State must benefit from this project which is magnanimously initiated by the president Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the people of Niger Delta region.”

The Federal Commissioner went further to capture the advantages of the solar Street light project to the communities, which include but not limited to “security enhancement, promotion of nightlife, adding vigor and glamour to our urban and rural areas.”

However, he was not happy following the incidents where these solar Street lights were tempered with “crassly vandalized by some hoodlums most especially in the urban areas.” He also called on the “benefitting communities to ensure that they offer maximum protection to those facilities as that is one of the main motivating factors that will spur the commission to situate more projects to their various communities and that gradually every community must benefit it, that it’s a matter of chance and it will come to pass.”

He continued by warning members of the host communities “not to disturb the contractors as no dime has been given to the contractor, even mobilization was not given to him. The commission will not pay any contractor until the project is completed, supervised and certified by the commission.”

In his remark, one of the contractors Ichie Engr Sunday Muofunanya promised the commission and the people that the project would be delivered on or before the 10th of December, 2024 in accordance to BEME’s prescription.

Earlier, the community stakeholders present at the event, assured the commission of their preparedness to ensure that the projects and Contractors would be given the needed protection during and after the completion and handling of the project.