The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has announced that it will partner with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in developing healthcare, education, and youth development, among others, in the Niger Delta region, News About Nigeria reports.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Director of Corporate Affairs of NDDC, Seledi Thompson-Wakama, on Thursday.
This partnership followed a meeting between the UAE Ambassador to Nigeria, Salem Al-Shamsi, and a delegation from the NDDC, led by the Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, at the UAE Embassy in Abuja.
The NCDC and UAE both agreed to set up a joint committee to develop a partnership framework to support development projects and programmes in the region.
The UAE envoy, Al-Shamsi, stated his willingness to collaborate with the NDDC on information and communication technology (ICT), education, health, agriculture, and youth development.
He also endorsed the suggestion for a joint team to develop areas of collaboration between the UAE and NDDC.
He further commended the NDDC for its development initiatives and said his country was willing to collaborate and support the Commission in executing more development projects.
The ambassador expressed satisfaction that his country had normalised its relationship with Nigeria, stating that the national carrier of the UAE, Emirates Airline, had resumed operations between Lagos and Dubai.
He stated, “We are happy with this visit and the opportunity it has given us to explore areas of cooperation and support. We appreciate the robust relationship between the UAE and Nigeria.”
Also speaking, the NDDC Chief Executive Officer briefed the Ambassador and his team on what the Commission was doing and the achievements it had recorded so far.
He specifically asked for collaboration in NDDC Health intervention in the Niger Delta, urging the UAE to assist in equipping the Commission’s Regional Specialist Cardiovascular and Orthopaedic Hospital in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
He stated, “As part of our commitment to expanding the frontier of the NDDC’s Public Private Partnership, PPP, I welcome the opportunity to meet with UAE officials to foster collaboration in health, education, as well as oil and gas.”
