By Jerome-Mario Utomi
Through a noteworthy conviction that education is the bedrock of any nation and so it is incumbent on all to grow and support the education sector, coupled with significant moves that underscore commitment to the socioeconomic development of the nation, Mr Chiedu Ebie, a reformer, technocrat and chairman of the governing board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), has famously become reputed for supporting sustainable development of education sector at state, regional and federal levels as well as encourages formulation and transparent implementation of diverse strategic youth empowerment initiatives and programmes.
Adding context to the discourse, Mr Ebie, before the NDDC appointment, served as the Delta State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education (July 2015 to May 2019), and Secretary to the Delta State Government (SSG) from 2019 to May 2021.
Aside from the significant reforms and improvements in the primary and secondary educational sectors, particularly, the transparent recruitment of 1,000 teachers posted across secondary schools in the state as well as other far-reaching policies designed and implemented while serving in those capacities (Commissioner and SSG), those who understand the purpose of public leadership realized that he did more than echoing the line of the government but stayed with multiple stakeholders across the state and beyond. He recognized early on that doing so was especially critical for promoting peace and fostering unity between the government and the governed.
In March 2024, he chaired the 2nd Founders Day of the University of Delta (UNIDEL), Agbor. It was a day to celebrate and take stock of the progress thus far of this young institution of higher learning established from the defunct College of Education Agbor three years ago by the Delta State Government at the time when he functioned as SSG.
The event, which had the Managing Director of Zenith Bank Plc, Dr Ebenezer Onyeagwu (as he then was), as a guest lecturer, provided another veritable opportunity for Mr Ebie to demonstrate his undying support for the upcoming generation and love for human capacity development.
To this end, he, on behalf of his family, instituted the Prof John Ebie Award for the best graduating medical student in honour of his late father, who was a medical doctor and professor of mental health. Correspondingly, as a lawyer, he also did likewise for the best-graduating student from the faculty of law and also included a full scholarship for a second-year law student who has a GPA of 5.0 as a way of supporting and encouraging her.
Ebie said, “It was surely a good outing that allowed me to catch up with former colleagues and friends, but more importantly, to support the development of the proposed Ika language and cultural centre where handsome donations were made by Ika sons and daughters.
“Kudos to the Vice Chancellor, Prof Stella Chiemeke and her team for the progress made so far. We will continue to support the growth and development of education.”
Before the dust of excitement raised by Mr Ebie’s gesture could settle, another was up! This time around, he championed the prioritisation of education of the girl child in his capacity as the chairman of NDDC.
Speaking at a ceremony put together by the agency to mark the International Women’s Day in Agbor, Delta State, Mr Ebie, represented by his Special Assistant, John Aleh, stated that “as a pivotal segment of the population, educating the girl child empowers women to succeed in all areas of life.”
Apart from championing girl child education, the commission has revived the annual Moot & Mock Trial Competition for law faculties of universities located within the NDDC States.
The yearly event, Mr Ebie explained, will help in preparing and shaping the minds of our bright scholars into top-rate lawyers in the not-too-distant future.
As a famous team player, he seamlessly teamed up with other members of the governing board and management of the Commission to incubate policies aimed at improving the life chances of the people of the Niger Delta region.
A topical and typical illustration of such an initiative was the seeing-through of the award of scholarships to 200 successful candidates from the region to pursue Master’s Degrees overseas, a programme which of course is an important component of the agency’s human capital development that seeks to use education to change the fortunes of the region and its people.
While the entire process may have climaxed with the presentation of letters to the prospective scholars at a pre-departure and award ceremony held recently in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, what is, however, newsy is the high-level transparency which characterized the process and made it possible for most of the beneficiaries to be those who never knew anyone from the NDDC or anyone who works there.
Whereas the above resounding efforts coming from Mr Ebie and his colleagues at NDDC are well understood and celebrated, one effort from his team that this piece considers most striking because of its far-reaching effect on the youths from the region is the recently launched 12-month internship scheme in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, targeting 10,000 youths across the Niger Delta.
This initiative is not only aimed at advancing the federal government’s Renewed Hope Agenda under President Bola Tinubu but also at equipping the region’s youths with essential skills for meaningful employment and sustainable livelihoods.
The newly rolled-out internship program is designed to offer participants practical training and valuable work experience in various sectors, including technology, music and arts, agriculture, and marine industries. Each participant will receive a monthly stipend of N50,000, which will support them throughout the duration of the program.
However, the most remarkable aspect of the scheme, which has garnered widespread attention and praise, is the special emphasis on inclusivity, particularly for persons with disabilities.
During the launch, Mr Ebie made a groundbreaking announcement that has been lauded as a milestone in the region’s development agenda.
He declared that persons with disabilities (PWDs) would receive special consideration under the internship scheme, ensuring that they have equal opportunities to participate and benefit from the program.
He further encouraged disabled youths to apply and clearly state their disabilities during the application process, emphasizing that the scheme is open to young people across all educational backgrounds and levels of experience.
This inclusive approach is not just a gesture; it represents a significant shift in the way persons with disabilities are perceived and treated within the Niger Delta region and Nigeria as a whole. It is indeed, a bold step towards addressing the longstanding challenges that have marginalized PWDs from mainstream economic opportunities.
Jerome-Mario Utomi, a communicator, writes from Lagos and can be reached via [email protected]/08032725374