ACTING Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Prof. Nelson Brambaifa has said President Muhammadu Buhari loves Niger Delta.

Brambaifa, who spoke at the inaugural meeting of the new NDDC management in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, confirmed the Federal Government was refunding over N1.3 trillion owed the commission.

He said the management was a response to discontent over the government’s non-commitment to Niger Delta.

The NDDC chief said the Niger Delta had suffered, but the President was taking action to redress the situation.

Brambaifa reiterated that President Buhari had ensured the Federal Government met its statutory financial obligations to the commission in full.

He hinted that the President also ensured that other statutory contributors met their obligations, noting that the President worked to restore peace and security in Niger Delta by tackling grievances.

Brambaifa said the appointment was another step to give hope to Niger Delta people and restore their confidence and faith he would rebuild the region.

He pledged to respect and implement the commission’s mandate, which, according to him, would facilitate the development of Niger Delta into a region to be socially stable, economically prosperous, politically peaceful and ecologically regenerative.

The Bayelsa First Initiative (BFI) has praised the President for appointing Prof Brambaifa as the acting managing director of NDDC.

A statement by the group’s Secretary, Mekunisi Aworabi, described the appointment as a right step based on Brambaifa’s experience and background as an academic and former representative of Bayelsa State in the last board.

Aworabi thanked Buhari for sustaining the rotational principle in the appointment of chief executives for the commission in line with the NDDC Act.

He hoped Brambaifa would bring his experience in academia and management to bear in the commission’s leadership.

Aworabi condemned reported moves by aggrieved Bayelsans to petition President Buhari on the appointment, saying such acts would only lead to Ijaw disunity and self-destruction.