Ogbuku urges agricultural diversification amid reports of his arrest over alleged coup-linked fund transfers.
The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, has called on stakeholders in the region to shift focus from oil dependence to agriculture-driven growth.
Speaking during a televised two-day strategic meeting ahead of the Niger Delta Agricultural Summit, Ogbuku said agriculture remained the most viable path to achieving food security, job creation, and sustainable development in the region.
He said: “The Niger Delta must look beyond oil; agriculture holds the key to our economic transformation and long-term stability. Through collaborative planning and targeted investments, we can unlock the enormous potential of our farmlands and create sustainable livelihoods for our people.”
The engagement attracted commissioners, permanent secretaries, and agricultural partners across the Niger Delta.
The event coincided with reports alleging Ogbuku’s arrest by security operatives over suspected fund transfers to ex-Bayelsa governor Timipre Sylva, who is accused of financing an alleged coup plot.