The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has awarded scholarship to university level, to seven children of Sergeant Chukwudi Iboko, the policeman who died during an armed robbery attack on a bank in Owerri, Imo State, last year.
NDDC Managing Director, Mr. Nsima Ekere, announced the scholarship last Saturday, after receiving the Public Service Award at The Sun Awards in Lagos.
Ekere also announced N1 million donation to the deceased’s family who was equally honoured at the award ceremony as the Nigerian Hero of the Year.
Ekere said the NDDC is working with state governments and security agencies to tackle what he described as “serious security challenges in the Niger Delta.”
He expressed delight with the award and described it as “validation of the efforts of the present board and management of the NDDC to uplift the commission, make it more transparent, restructure its governing system, restore its core mandate and end the era of non-performing contracts.”
Publisher of The Sun newspapers, Dr. Orji Kalu, who presented the award, said Ekere was honoured in recognition of his development strides for the people of the Niger Delta and Nigeria in general.
He noted that the presence of members of the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Niger Delta at the ceremony showed that the NDDC boss is democratic in the way he administers the commission.
Kalu urged Ekere to continue to deliver on his duties to the people of the Niger Delta.
The NDDC boss was escorted to receive the award by a host of personalities including the Managing Director of Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority, Mr. Umana Umana, Commissioner representing Akwa Ibom State in the NDDC, Mr. Samuel Frank, former governorship aspirants, Ezekiel Nya-Etok and Mr. Solomon Etim.
Others were Senator Aloysius Etok and former local government chairmen, Otuekong Ekerete Ekpenyong and Mr. Michael Etim.