N81.5b Fraud: Stakeholders Pose Powerful Questions Before NDDC’s Ag. MD, Pondei Ahead House C’ttee Interrogation

…As HOSCON Calls On FG To Inaugurate Substantive Board

The Acting Managing Director of the NDDC, Prof. Kemebradikumo Pondei has been slammed with some nine powerful questions bordering on the huge financial scandals rocking the NDDC ahead his House of Representatives panel appearance.

From the stable of the Itsekiri Leaders of Thought (ILOT), an apex socio-cultural body of the Itsekiri nationality, came the posers surrounding the N81.5 billion allegedly misappropriated by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

BIGPEN reports that both the Senate and House of representatives have been probing alleged contract scams at the Commission including N81.5bn, the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the NDDC claimed it spent in less than six months between January and May this year, while the Covid-19 lockdown lasted in the country.

Pondei, is expected to appear before the probe panel, Monday, to explained how a whopping N81.5 billion was expended by the commission within the past five months, among other issues.

ILOT in a statement through its secretary, Sir Amorighoye Mene, said that Pondei would have to also explained where he got the powers as acting chairman of an Interim Management Committee (IMC) to award contracts and disburse funds which accrue to N1.5 billion as palliatives for its members, management and staff of the interventionist agency.

Mene, in the statement also seeks explanation on comments by the executive director on projects, Dr. Cairo Ojuogboh, on national television, claiming that certain funds paid into his accounts during the COVID-19 lockdown, were for travels to visit students on NDDC scholarship programme abroad.

ILOT in the statement demands to know thus: “where did the acting MD derive the power and authority to award contracts above his threshold without recourse to the tenders Board?

“Also with due respect to the above statutory requirements, where did the acting MD have power and authority to distribute N1.5 billion as Covid 19 palliative to IMC members ,management and Staff of NDDC ? and from which Budget?

“Did the Emergency procurement under the public procurement act,particularly section 43 provide for all the above contracts?

“Without recourse to the provisions of the public service rules on appointments, promotions and dismissal/termination with due regard to the fact that the IMC is not a substantive Board, where did the acting MD derive the power and authority to promote staff without examinations, make appointments and dismissal or termination of staff.

“September is not time for graduation, but resumption for fall admission. While convocation is normally between April and June which is the lockdown period. The NDDC scholars are scattered in various universities all over the world, so which university’s convocation did they plan to attend?

“How can they plan to attend the convocation of students that the NDDC has not disbursed their school fees? Students who are stranded as a result of the negligence of the NDDC? Now that they did not travel have they refunded the said amount?

“The IMC was put in place by the President to carry out a comprehensive forensic audit of the NDDC. It has been over 6 months since then, we want to know, without the 2020 NDDC budget appropriations duly signed to law can the IMC procure a lead consultant?

“Can the lead consultant and the nine forensic audit firms be selected without the procurement Act 2007 of the Bureau of Public Procurement and without due regard for transparency and accountability in the selection process?

“Have the project files collected from the NDDC by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, which was one of the issues before the Special Adviser to the President on Domestic Matters for resolution between Dr Nunieh, ex-MD of NDDC and Senator Akpabio, been returned to the NDDC so that they can be audited also?”

Meanwhile, the National Leadership, State Chairmen, Youth wing, Women wing, Clergy wing and selected leaders from the 10 Oil Producing States of Delta, Edo, Ondo, Lagos, Bayelsa, Rivers, Cross Rivers, Akwa-Ibom, Abia and Imo States have called for the disbarment of the NDDC’s IMC and reconstitution of substantive board earlier screened by the Senate.

Arising from a crucial meeting held Sunday, 19 July, the stakeholders under the auspices of Host Communities of Nigeria (HOSCON), expressed displeasure with the multi-billion naira fraud that has bedeviled the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) under the “kangaroo” Interim Management Committee (IMC) leading to wastage of over 80 billion naira”.

The statement signed by Okakuro Monday Whiskey, HOSCON’s National Director of Media & Publicity, reads, “That we demand without further delay, that the already screened and confirmed Board by the National Assembly under the Chairmanship of His Excellency Dr. Pius Odubu be urgently inaugurated to put a stop to this wonton wastage and outright stealing that is ongoing currently at the Commission.

“That we demand without further delay, the return of the NDDC back to the Presidency for proper administration and supervision.

“That we demand without further delay immediate sack and prosecution of all the actors who perpetrated these heinous crimes against the people of the Oil Producing Communities.

“That we recall in November, 2019 we raised the alarm that allowing the Minister of the Niger Delta Chief Godswill Akpabio to control and dictate what happened at the NDDC will be to the detriment of the Region.

“We also recall vividly when we told the Federal government that Chief Godswill Akpabio’s desperation to control the NDDC is a well designed plot to plunder the common wealth of the region.

“That HOSCON as the most formidable grassroots pressure group in the Niger Delta that has labored so much to ensure sustainable peace in the Oil/Gas Rich Region will not sit aloof and allow some self aggrandizing political appointees that are selfishly motivated to set the Region on fire”.