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By Joel Anekwe
The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, says it is making efforts to build fitness facilities in the nine states of the Niger Delta region to cater to the needs of its staff and other residents in the area.
Interim Administrator of the commission, Mr. Efiong Akwa, announced the plans during a fitness walk at the weekend, noting that the exercise, which took the workers through the streets of Port Harcourt, was also aimed at inculcating in the staff the spirit of team work.
He said the importance of regular fitness walk programme was to ensure good health for its workforce and put them in top shape to work for the rapid development of the Niger Delta region.
Akwa, who led the management and staff on the road walk from the Model Secondary School GRA Phase 11 round the adjoining streets in the area, remarked that the job routine of NDDC staff was usually intensive and they needed to engage in regular exercises to avoid breakdowns and avoidable health challenges.
According to a release issued by the director, Corporate Affairs, Dr Ibitoye Abosede, most workers in the NDDC led a sedentary lifestyle, making it important to expose them to fitness exercises that would help them to keep in good shape.
Akwa charged NDDC staff to always take care of their health, especially at this time when the Covid-19 pandemic was ravaging the entire world.
He commended those who had availed themselves of the opportunity provided by the NDDC management for the vaccination of the commission’s staff.
He urged the staff to continue to adhere strictly to all the Covid-19 protocols, including social distancing and regular washing of hands.
In his own remarks, the NDDC director, Administration, Mr. Charles Akan, stated that the exercise was commendable and a reminder that workers should improve in all areas to be alert to discharge their duties.
He said, “We do very sedentary jobs most of the time. Sometimes, we don’t leave our desks for very long intervals. The other thing is that it is a bonding exercise which is very critical in every corporate organisation.”
Akpan said that the fitness exercise would henceforth be organized every quarter because apart from the health benefits, it would help to bring every member of staff together and thus help in adding value to teamwork and strengthening the bond of friendship among staff.
Also, the NDDC director for Youth and Sports, Mr. Offiong Ephraim, noted that the exercise programme was another strategy for social engineering in the commission.
He observed: “The commission pays serious attention to the general well-being of all staff and we commend the interim administrator for approving the exercise and leading from the front.”
