Nigeria Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has disclosed that it has begun a partnership deal with the Imo State Government to implement the One Kindred, One Business Initiatives (OKOBI) empowerment project, initiated by the state government.
This was disclosed at the weekend by the member representing Imo State on the board and management of the 7th Governing Board of the commission, Dr. Kyrian Uchegbu, during the 2025 International Youth Day Celebration held at Arizona Hotel, Owerri.
He said the business initiative would uplift the economic status of the people of the region, starting with select Imo people.
Uchegbu also informed that the commission had restarted the one-year stipend payment period of N50,000 monthly to selected Imo youths under the NDDC Youth Internship Scheme after its suspension due to some initial irregularities, adding that the execution of the light-up programme of the interventionist agency had been carried out in many Imo communities through the donation and installation of solar-powered lights on the streets.
Leveraging the theme, "Advancing Multilateral Cooperation through Technology and Partnership in the Niger Delta," Uchegbu charged the youths to support the Federal Government in its multilateral cooperation initiative on technology partnership tools to digitize the nation.
He disclosed that the duo of the chairman of the board of the commission, Chinedu Ebie, and the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, along with other members and directors, were working in synergy to roll out programmes to ensure the welfare of the people of the region was uplifted at a commensurate level.
Uchegbu disclosed that some Imo youths had benefitted from the NDDC/IFAD/FGN/LIFE-ND Agripreneur programme and successfully completed the training programme, urging others to bear with the agency as subsequent empowerment projects would reach them, stressing that President Bola Tinubu required a peaceful atmosphere and support in the region.
All the needs of the youths, as discussed in the summit, the board's representative promised to submit at the next board meeting.
Uchegbu promised to ensure that all due for Imo people reached them, especially the "empowerment and development-oriented" programmes.
Two resource persons presented papers on the possible ways the Niger Delta youths could leverage the "partnership and multilateral technological advancement cooperation" to uplift the fortunes of the Niger Delta as proposed by Tinubu for the region.
The summit featured the "presentation/discovery of future artistes" in a talent hunt section, and speeches by some stakeholders, including the state director of the commission, Chief Kelechi Nwelue.