New Telegraph nominates NDDC MD Samuel Ogbuku as Public Servant of the Year

The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr Samuel Ogbuku, has been nominated for the Public Servant of the Year Award by the New Telegraph newspaper in recognition of his contributions to peace-building and development across the Niger Delta.

The nomination was announced during a courtesy visit by the newspaper’s management team to the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt.

Accepting the honour, Ogbuku expressed appreciation to the organisation, noting that the Commission’s achievements were the product of a collective commitment to developing the region.

“We accept the award and say thank you for this recognition. This is not the first award we are receiving, as we have had several in the areas of revolutionising and transforming the Niger Delta,” he said.

He emphasised that the Commission’s work is aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, as well as the oversight of the Minister of Regional Development, Engr Abubakar Momoh, and the National Assembly.

“We ensure that whatever we do is in line with the President’s vision. With the support he has given us, we have no choice but to succeed,” Ogbuku stated.

He highlighted several initiatives undertaken under his leadership, including the Light Up the Niger Delta Project, the distribution of 45,000 U-Lesson learning tablets to schoolchildren, and various youth empowerment programmes.

Looking ahead, Ogbuku disclosed that the Commission is set to begin a six-month training programme for 1,000 youths in Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) technology in Akwa Ibom State, adding that modalities for the scheme are being finalised.

“This award is not just for the NDDC. It flows from the President, to the National Assembly and to our stakeholders. The honour is a charge for us to do more, and we do not take it for granted,” he said.

Speaking during the visit, the Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of New Telegraph, Mr Ayodele Aminu, said Ogbuku was selected for the award following a careful evaluation of his performance.

“We have monitored the activities of the NDDC Managing Director closely since he assumed office. Our Board of Editors and Panel of Judges chose him as Public Servant of the Year because of his strides in accountability, youth empowerment, the Light-Up-the-Niger-Delta initiative, and region-wide infrastructural development,” Aminu said.

The New Telegraph 2025 Awards ceremony is scheduled to hold on 13 February 2026 in Lagos.