CRITICS MISS THE POINT: EBIE’S IMPACT IN IKA IS SYSTEMIC, NOT COSMETIC - By Dominion Steve Buzugbe

Amidst Barr. Chiedu Ebie’s visible signatures of development across the Niger Delta as Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), a few voices have continued to claim that his presence is not being felt in his immediate constituency, Ika South and Ika North East Local Government Areas. But such claims, according to close observers, are not only unfair but also a deliberate misunderstanding of what true leadership and development mean.

Those who insist they have not felt Ebie’s impact often base their argument on the absence of cash empowerment programs. Yet, this narrow expectation overlooks the fact that real development cannot and should not be reduced to handouts of ₦100,000 or ₦1 million that disappear in weeks and leave the people trapped in the same broken system.

Ebie’s leadership is intentionally different. His priority is not tokenism but tackling systemic failures that have for years denied the people of Ika and the Niger Delta the opportunity to thrive. By fixing roads, strengthening hospitals, providing ICT infrastructure, and ensuring functional public institutions, he is laying the kind of foundation that cash empowerment will never achieve.

Critics conveniently ignore the solar streetlights that now brighten Ika Nation and its environs, the modern ICT facilities he provided at the University of Delta, Agbor, and the ambulances and medical equipment supplied to the Central Hospital, Agbor. These are not mere promises—they are tangible interventions with lasting value.

It is easy for politicians to share money for cheap popularity, but Ebie has chosen the harder, nobler path of building systems that will empower thousands for years to come. A functional environment will allow businesses to flourish, jobs to be created, and young people to engage in meaningful ventures rather than depend on temporary stipends.

The truth is clear: those who say they have not felt Ebie’s presence are either not paying attention or are deliberately downplaying his efforts for political reasons. The people of Ika should not be deceived. Development is not measured by cash gifts but by enduring structures that outlive any individual.

Barr. Chiedu Ebie has proven that he is committed to sustainable progress, not political showmanship. His critics may shout, but history will vindicate him as the leader who chose to fix the system rather than feed the cycle of dependency.