Tag: NDDC

NDDC: Akpabio in fresh trouble as EFCC adopts petition against him, Pondei

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has commenced the probe of Godswill Akpabio, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and Daniel Pondei, the Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) over corruption allegations of diversion of public funds.

TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Adebayo Adeniyi, Head, Economic Governance Section of the EFCC made this known in a letter, dated 14th August, 2020, addressed to Comrade Deji Adeyanju of the Foundation for True Freedom and Good Governance.

Recall that both arms of the legislature, the Senate and the House of Representatives had initiated an investigation into what many have described as high level corruption that has bedevilled the regional interventionist agency under the watch of Akpabio as the minister in charge and Pondei as Acting MD.

While many have said the National Assembly (NASS) made a mess of the investigation, the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government had ordered a forensic audit of the agency, and the probe by the EFCC will add to the efforts to cleanse the NDDC of rot.

In the letter to Foundation for True Freedom and Good Governance, the EFCC sought cooperation for the investigation of both Akpabio and Pondei, asking representatives of the foundation to attend an interview with the EFCC on Thursday for the adoption of their petition against the duo.

The EFCC letter signed by the Commission’s Head, Economic Governance Section reads: “We write to acknowledge the receipt of your petition dated 3 August, 2020 in respect of the above subject and to inform you that investigation into the case has commenced.

“In view of the above, you are kindly requested to attend an interview with the undersigned through O/C Team 6 on Thursday 20th August, 2020, at EFCC (Headquarters), Third floor, Plot 301/302, Institution and Research District, Jabi, Abuja by 10 am in order to adopt your petition.

“Your cooperation in this regards is highly solicited, please”.

August 19, 2020
INTERVIEW: NDDC probe just a token of Nigeria’s problems, says UPU P-G

President General of the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), Olorogun Moses Taiga has said the probe of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is just a token of the problems in the country.

TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Olorogun Taiga, who stated this in an interview with newsmen recently, said it is a shame to that the wealth of the nation is being abused.

He attributed the rot in the NDDC to the problem of leadership, stressing that if the leadership is firm and proper and contracts are given out properly, things would be different.

On NNDC Probe

Every problem must have a cause and effect. I think the NDDC probe is not the beginning, but just a token of the problems in the country. It is a shame that what we all fought for to improve the well-being of the people who produce the wealth of this nation is being abused. I don’t expect to see anything good from the issue of this probe as it is just a drama. We have seen this type of thing before. For us in the UPU, we are not just interested in the NDDC probe only, we are calling on the President to swear in our son, Olorogun Bernard Okumagba, as the Managing Director of the NDDC, as earlier approved.

On Niger Deltans being their biggest enemies

I don’t think that criticism is fair. What is the level of the contracts of NDDC that the indigenes of Niger Delta have taken? We don’t know, but we are waiting for the result of the forensic audit which I don’t believe anything good will come out from. But let us say we have a list of all the people that started taking contracts since the NDDC was formed. How many of those are from the Niger Delta and what is the level of the activities of all these people? What about the problems that happened at Ogoni with Shell? There are problems that you don’t accuse the people that produce the wealth of this country by saying they caused those problems for themselves.

The issue is that NDDC had always lacked good leadership. If the leadership is firm and proper and contracts are given out properly and educated people, who know how to run institutions take charge, things will be different. I am talking from experience because I started my career working for the Nigerian Industrial Development Bank, NIDB. Development institutions need to be run and organized by people who are trained in that direction. It is not so much about the beneficiaries who are Niger Deltans but leadership in the running of these institutions.

On Niger Delta being over pampered (13% derivation et all)

Well, I think 13% derivation became a reality as a result of the governors from that area that were very strong on resource control. If the Niger Delta got a share of that which they produce, why will it be over pampering? I think it was done at that time by President Yar A’dua to calm the area which had become restive. It is not an issue of pampering, but an issue of giving to them that which they are entitled to. The way I see it that the governors are supposed to be distributing it, they are distributing that wealth in proportion to the production derived from each area. So, I don’t see it as pampering.

On Infrastructure and Performances of governors

I am looking at what is happening with the Urhobo nation. I am calling on the federal government to provide infrastructure which is our fair share. I am not looking beyond the nation of Urhobo, the fourth largest tribe in this country…We are not being fairly treated. I am demanding infrastructural development for the Urhobo area. I am demanding adequate utilization of our resources – gas, to give us electricity, etc. All the oil companies operating in our area should come back. FG is even insisting that oil companies should go back to their areas of production. We are calling on Shell to come back to Urhobo land. We are calling on Chevron to expand its activities to include Urhobo land. We are calling on Seplat to continue production activities in Urhobo land and we are calling on Heritage to come to do same. Urhobo land had one time the largest facilities in the whole country. We want development from them.

On the (Niger Delta) governors, some of my colleagues and equivalent of UPU in other ethnic groups have cried out loud that the governors are not doing enough for our development. They need to do a lot more than what they are doing for us.

Reviving the Ports in Urhobo land

This issue was cardinal when we met the President in June, 2018. He said he was going to look at it. In the case of Uvwie and Ukpe land, he said if it is indeed true, he is going to reverse them back to us. But like most things in Nigeria, you have to keep knocking and knocking on the door until you get your answer. Same thing with the port. That Sapele port has nine bases, and the navy is only using one. They are under utilizing the ports. So, we said they can keep using their own but that they should restore the rest back to us so that we can get shipping companies to bring their products direct, to Sapele, instead of the congestion problem in Apapa.

Security

On May 19, 2020, the Delta state Governor, His Excellency, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, made a pronouncement and decided to set up a state community police committee and state community advisory committee. The Co-Chairman of the advisory committee was the Chairman of the council of Traditional Rulers and the state community policy committee was made up of various youth bodies, NGOs, etc. That is a background of the state government saying that it will establish a security outfit to be called operation Delta Hawk. It will work with vigilante groups, security agencies and other relevant stakeholders.

I know that there is the talk of setting up an Ámotekun’ which is the South-West concept. For now, let’s concern ourselves with Operation Delta Hawk for a place like Delta which is big before we expand to include other states in the Niger Delta.

The issue is, first, can we establish the operation Delta Hawk properly? We are conscious about security because we know that without it, there is no room for investors and investments. We do need adequate security. There is the issue of the herdsmen who are creating a lot of problems in our area. Only recently, the women in Oviri Olowu, in Ughelli South LGA took it upon themselves and decided that they were going to fight the herdsmen. Security is an item we should always put on the front burner.

On 2023 Governorship Elections and zoning

The reality is, though we are the largest constituting unit in Delta, we cannot win alone. Therefore, we need to work with our neighbours. Whether with the three Is-the ijaws, Isokos or the Itsekiris or go up north to the Aniomas, Ukwanis and Osiminis. Therefore, the UPU will work hard to coordinate the Urhobo nation, such that we will work in tandem with our neighbours. We will work with our neighbours. Urhobo has only eight local governments, and a candidate needs to score at least 25 per cent of the votes in three local government areas to emerge governor we cannot do it alone. also, though we are the major ethnic group, we do not want to be seen as dominating. These are the initial stages. We will work with our neighbours to unite the state and the UPU will liaise political parties to ensure that we select the best candidates in Urhobo land. We will showcase the candidates and get our neighbours to give us support to ensure a candidate of Urhobo origin emerges the next governor of Delta State. But UPU will remain a socio-cultural body

Youth Wing

By the nature of youths, there is always agitation for offices. We have settled the issue of the youth wing now. We have appointed Ovie Ebireri as the President of the Ukoko R’ Ighele R’Urhobo. He was the deputy president in the last regime. Once the President-General of UPU has appointed and anointed a candidate, I don’t understand any other group making noise in the newspapers. The Ovie Ebireri executive is the only group known to us and was legitimately sworn in.

Achievements

Some of the items on our campaign promises include the renovation of Urhobo college, establishment of an Urhobo University, setting up of a microfinance bank, etc. On the microfinance, we actually appointed a consultant, a management team, a three-man interim board chaired by Mr. Albert Esiri. At that time, the CBN stopped licensing of microfinance banks because it wanted to raise their capital base. For two years, we were waiting for the revised approval of the minimum capital for the establishment of a microfinance bank. Until the central bank approved late last year, we couldn’t proceed. From what we had set up before, we approached all the 24 kingdoms to set up a microfinance that is called the Okugbe microfinance bank. We asked kingdoms to nominate individuals in their kingdom that will own at least five per cent of the bank to ensure it is not owned by one person or few persons. We were moving well except for the delay of the CBN. Our initial plan of putting our microfinance bank is on. When Corona Virus is over, we intend to finish it up.

University

On the university, we set up a committee under Prof G.G. Darah that is doing the feasibility study and we have and we have had very good interest from Urhobo people. There are at least four communities in Urhobo land that have indicated interest in having the university sited on their land. Work is still on.

August 10, 2020
Urhobo youths gives Buhari 7-day ultimatum to sack Akpabio over corruption in NDDC

THE Urhobo Youth Assembly, UYA, has urged President Muhammadu to sack the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswil Akpabio within seven days.

UYA in a letter to the President dated August 7, 2020, alleged that in the past 20 years of existence of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, no statutory board of the commission has been so reckless and controversial with its finances like the revelation going on now.

The youth group told President Buhari that the constituted Interim Management Committee, IMC, is not known to the NDDC Act 2000. The UYA letter was signed by Jude Akpore and Frank Onogagamue, President and Secretary respectively.

The letter read: “The entire leadership and members of the Urhobo Youth Assembly drawn from the 24 Kingdoms spread across the eight Urhobo speaking Local Government Councils of Delta Central and our Urhobo brothers in Warri South, Bomadi and Patani rose from a crucial emergency national meeting in Ughelli over the weekend.

“The meeting was called principally to review the state of the nation via the high powered corruption that has bedevilled the regional interventionist agency, The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) under the supervision of Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio as a minister.

“With over 350 youth leaders in attendance, the National President of the UYA, Comrade Jude Akpore briefed the house of the imperatives of ensuring that the Urhobo people with their huge petro-dollar oil and gas resources are not relegated to the back seat when issues that concern the Niger Delta Development are being discussed both at the state and national level.

“The Urhobo nation with over 21 flow stations and cumulative production capacity of over six hundred thousand bpd and host to the largest gas plant in Sub-Sahara Africa, the Otorogu gas plant cannot play second fiddle in the nation’s oil and gas politics and developmental stride.

“Generally, the Urhobo Youths with over 700,000 votes have constantly supported your administration anti-corruption drive and we, therefore, cannot see reason why the current happenings at the NDDC where over N81billion have either be stolen or pocketed by some few individuals under the three members kangaroo Interim Management Committee (IMC) should be allowed to continued.”

The UYA resolved, “That the Federal Government should within the next seven days sack the controversial Minister of Niger Delta Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio, and initiate a thorough process of arresting and prosecuting all those who have looted and diverted funds meant for the development of the oil and gas producing communities of the Niger Delta Region.

“That it is imperative for the government to know that no statutory board of the NDDC in the past 20 years of its existence has been so financially reckless and controversial like this Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio imposed three members kangaroo Interim Management Committee (IMC) that is not known to the NDDC Act 2000.

“That our group has carried out a detailed investigation of all the nominated members of the board who have been screened and confirmed by the National Assembly under the chairmanship of His Excellency Dr. Pius Egberanmwen Odubu and MDship of Chief Bernard Oboatarhieyeren Okumagba and have no hesitation in demanding for their immediate inauguration as persons of high integrity who have displayed high-level professionalism in their previous Government positions.

“That our group is also pleased, that in all the controversial happenings at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Ministry of the Niger Delta Affairs, one man stood out that is the Honourable Minister of State for Niger Delta, the Distinguished Senator Omotayo Donald Alasoadura who we have discovered to be forthright, committed and honest to the Niger Delta Development project.

“And we, therefore, have no hesitation in recommending that he be elevated to the enviable position of the Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to be in charge of the Federal Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs. “That for proper coordination and monitoring of government funding of agencies with responsibilities for elevating the living standard of downtrodden people of the Niger Delta.

“We suggest that just like the NDDC the presidential amnesty programme should also be brought under the ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.”

Finally, the Congress wholeheartedly endorsed all the pragmatic efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari geared towards addressing the multidimensional problems that has bedevilled oil and gas-rich region of the country and we will continue to speak up anytime any day.”

August 10, 2020
Pondei lists NDDC contracts paid under ‘duress’ before NASS members harmonized commission’s 2019 budget

The Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Prof. Kemebradikumo Daniel Pondei has listed some of the contracts the Commission was allegedly coerced to pay by the National Assembly before its 2019 annual budget could be harmonized.

TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the commission had promised on Friday to release fresh lists of defaulting high profile contractors saying Nigerians will be shocked after the list is released.

He alleged further that some lawmakers, especially members of adhoc Committees held the Commission hostage over the years with the annual budget approval.

According to him, most of the contracts they were arm-twisted to pay, “were never done or sometimes, never completed.”

Pondei in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Edgar Ebigoni, listed the contracts and benefitting firms to include; Kith Global Ventures Ltd; Remedial Works at New Ogorode Roads Lot 3, at the cost of N493,684,169.00 and paid on the 17/03/2020, 301 Constr. Ltd; Remedial Works at Nja Road to Akoku Uno Lot 1, at the cost of N350,027,919.80 and paid on the 17/03/2020. Cracked Stone Constr. Ltd; Remedial Works at Ajaolubeti Road Environs Lot 2 at the cost of N394,010,952.10 and paid on the 17/03/2020. Collincrystal Energy Ltd; Emergency at Benin Township Road Lot 7, at the cost of N 431,053.035.20 and paid on the 17/03/2020. Collincrystal Energy Ltd; Emergency at Benin Township Road Lot 3, at the cost of N361,357,276.20 and paid on the 17/03/2020 and Grapik Ltd; Emergency at Umudee Internal Road, at the cost of N207,673,107.70 and paid the 17/03/2020.

Others were, Southland Constr. Ltd; Remedial Works at Umuduru Chukwu Umuorlu Road, at the cost of N518,409,089.30 and paid on paid on the17/03/2020. Southland Constr. Ltd; Remedial Works at Umuduru, at the cost of N519,949,949.10 and paid on the 17/03/2020.

Grandfox Global Services Ltd; Emergency at Ope Road Okigwe LGA, at the cost of N580,438,578.00 and paid on the 17/03/2020. Collincrystal Energy Ltd; Emergency at Benin Town Road Lot 6, at the cost of N348,853,184.60 and paid on the 7/03/2020 and Crism Constr. Building Ltd; Emergency at Eziama Osuama International Roads Isiala Mbano LGA, at the cost of N561,592,377.80 and paid on the17/03/2020.

Also paid were, Argento Ltd; Emergency at Benin Township Road Lot 4, at the cost of N382,805,411.60 and paid on the 18/03/2020. Two Rocks Cont. Ltd; Remedial Works at New Ogorode Road Lot 4, N500,875,848.00 and paid on the 18/03/2020. Elkan Zibson Ltd; Emergency Repairs of failed and unmotorable sections of Ezumoha Internal Roads Isiala Mbano LGA, at the cost of N531,150,414.29 and paid on the 19/03/2020. Cracked Stone Constr. Ltd; Remedial works on Failed and Unmotorable sections of Benin Township Road Lot 8, at the cost of N417,806,787.01 and paid on the 19/03/2020. PDH Global Logistics Ltd; Emergency Repairs of Failed and Unmotorable sections of Umuezuo Umuagbavu Road Remedy Failed and unmotorable sections of Chikwe Orlu Street Environment, at the cost of N543,247,587.35 and paid on the 20/03/2020. Aritel Oil and Gas; Remedy Failed and Motorable sections of Chikwe Orlu Street Environment, at the cost of N550,100,132.34 and paid on the 24/03/202.

Dis Concept and Solutions Ltd; Urgently Remedy Failed and Un motorable sections of Jessy and Jenny Road off peter Odily Road PHC, at the cost of N476,794,367.22 and paid on the 26/03/2020. Ogugo Concept and Solutions Ltd; Emergency Repairs of Failed and Unmotorable sections of Environs Yenagoa LGA, at the cost of N300,029,695.14 and paid on the 26/03/2020. Webster Global ventures Ltd; Instruction of emergency Repairs of failed and unmotorable sections Benin Township Road Lot 2 Oredo LGA, at the cost of N357,242,054.35 and paid on the 26/03/2020. Webster Global ventures Ltd; Remedial Works of Failed and unmotorable sections of Akuku Illah Road Oshimili North LGA, at the cost of N 463,489,890.13 and paid on the 26/03/2020 and Webster Global ventures Ltd; Remedial Works of failed and Unmotorable sections of New Ogorode Road Lot2 Sapele LGA, at the cost of N 466,416,380.71 and paid on the 26/03/2020.

He alleged “this blackmail scheme explains why the 2019 Budget of the NDDC was passed by the NASS Committee in March, 2020”, adding that, “we are talking about a budget that was billed to expire in May, 2020. This implication is that the management of the NDDC had only five weeks, to implement the budget of one fiscal year, and present a performance report on the same budget.

“This scheme has continued to play out, because as at this Month of August 2020, the budget of the NDDC for the 2020 fiscal year has not been passed by the Joint National Assembly Committee on NDDC. Sadly, nobody seems to care to ask questions because people are falling for the well-scripted smokescreen playing out in the two Chambers of the National Assembly.”

According to the statement, “this document, is among the many others tendered before the NASS Committee, which never saw the light of the day, and which the NDDC Committee were never allowed to speak on, when they eventually appeared before the Committee, during the public hearing. It was based on this evidential claim that the IMC of NDDC staged a walk-out, on the first day they were to testify before the Committee.

“The details of this list can be verified from the Central Bank of Nigeria, through a Freedom Of Information (FOI) request.

“Indeed, the same allegation informed the reason all well-meaning Nigerians urged the Committee Chairman, Hon. Tunji-Ojo to recuse himself from the Chairmanship of that hearing. This is in keeping with the Nemo judex in causa sua, which is a Latin phrase that upholds the principle of natural justice that no one can judge a case in which they have an interest”.

It continued that, “it is very unfortunate that against all objective appeals and moral persuasions, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, alongside some other accused members of the House Committee on NDDC, proceeded to hold a public hearing, which was initially slated for two days, being the 15th and 16th of July 2020, but which effectively ran till 20th of the month, only for him to decide, at his own pace and time, to recuse himself from the hearing, on the last day, an action which cast a dark shade on the entire public.

“This is because, the same reason for which he recused himself on the last day was enough for him to steer clear from the matter, ab initio. The foregoing points to a clear fact that the Committee set out to do a bidding, that was never in the interest of the public. They obviously needed a public hearing to tell the public what they wanted the public to hear, rather than the facts of the matter.

“The Spokesperson the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, on a National Television Programme, recently, admitted publicly, that Contractors often approached Chairmen of the House Committees and the members, to use their office to compel MDAs to pay them. This definitely should be the new height of the abuse of the oath of office they swore, not to allow their personal interest interfere with the discharge of their official duties.

“Recall that since these allegations were first made by the Acting Executive Director, Projects, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh on National Television, Hon. Olubumni Tunji-Ojo has not deemed it fit to discountenance the allegations by way of a law suit”.

The statement also gave a detailed breakdown of the contracts which the National Assembly allegedly compelled the NDDC Interim Management Committee to pay before the 2019 budget is harmonized.

August 8, 2020
N2.5bn refund: You are bunch of confused men, Nwaoboshi replies NDDC

Senator Peter Nwaoboshi last night urged the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to go to court over its demand that he should refund N2.5 billion being payment for unexecuted projects.

Nwaoboshi, who represents Delta North in the Senate, in a statement by his media aide, Awele Onokwai, said that the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the agency appeared confused.

The statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to the purported subject matter above, credited to one Peter Claver Okoro, Esq, posing as the Director, Legal Services of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and we make bold to state the following:

“That the purported matter is subjudice as it is already before two law courts of competent jurisdiction in Nigeria, wherein, Distinguished Senator Peter Nwaoboshi sued the NDDC, Mr Charles Odili and relevant newspapers for defamation of character.

“The purported letter addressed to the Distinguished Senator Peter Nwaoboshi was written on the 5th of July 2020 and as at today, 7th of August 2020, said letter has not reached Senator Peter Nwaoboshi – either in person or Office or by substitution.

“The purported letter, unlike any formal letter emanating from a recognized government Ministry, Agency or Department is not signed, therefore, can easily be denied.

“Nowhere in the contents of the purported letter was it stated that the contractor is directly linked to Distinguished Senator Peter Nwaoboshi.

“Nowhere in the purported letter was it stated that the warehouse, where the plastic chairs were domiciled belongs to Distinguished Senator Peter Nwaoboshi.

“The purported letter is absolutely fake, as it was not conveyed through the official letter-headed paper of the NDDC – apparently for fear of being sued for divulgence of fake information to the general public.

“We are also not ruling out media urchins who may have been recruited by the desperate members of the IMC of NDDC in an attempt to divert public attention from the humongous corruption charges hanging on their necks.

“Finally, we have always maintained that the IMC of NDDC are a bunch of confused men without vision or direction. Initially, the alleged figure was pegged at N3.7 billion only for the confused IMC Team to now come up with a totally different figure of N2.5 billion.

“Nigerians and the entire world could see the charade clearly, even through the eyes of Steve Wonder!

However, if the IMC of NDDC feel they truly have a genuine case against Senator Peter Nwaoboshi as contained in the purported letter, we are challenging them to go to the law court or make use of every legal procedure available to them.

August 8, 2020
List of more defaulting high profile contractors coming soon – NDDC

The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has said it would soon release another list of defaulting high profile contractors.

It said the list in circulation was just that of 2018, saying that the list of 2019 had not been released yet and that when it is released, people would be shocked.

Acting Executive Director, Projects, NDDC, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh Ojougboh stated that change had come to the NDDC and that “things will never remain the same again.”

According to him, “President Muhammadu Buhari worked for the change in NDDC “and even when we leave here, other people coming in would be more careful.

“As for the list of contractors we published, that was for 2018 alone. By the time we publish that of 2019, a lot of things will come out to the open.

“Some persons claim they did not benefit from NDDC but we have documents linking them to those contracts. The forensic audit is unearthing a lot of things, 2016, 2017 and 2019 list are ready. But we have decided we would not be distracted again.”

He also said the Interim Management Committee, IMC, had saved N35 billion for the Commission after its verified payments to contractors.

Speaking to newsmen shortly after the inauguration of the Committee for the completion and commissioning of NDDC’s 13-floor new permanent headquarters at the Eastern By-Pass, Port Harcourt, Ojougboh said that the Commission had also verified payments for N1.5 trillion for other projects.

Ojougbo, who is the Chairman of the committee, affirmed that work on the office complex was at 98 per cent completion.

He said: “As you can see, the lifts and escalators are working, the lights and the central air conditioners are functioning. You have seen the external works, so I want to tell you that what is left is the ancillary building, the windows are already in place. You have also seen the asphalts, so we are good to go.

“Nobody believed that it was possible to achieve what we have achieved. There were lots of booby-traps which made it impossible for this building to be ready before now. But we thank God for the successes we have recorded.”

He lamented that the NDDC budget for 2019 was distorted to the detriment of regional projects, citing the example of regional hospital projects that were starved of funds.

“We made provision for hospitals in all Niger Delta states as our regional projects but it was removed and replaced with supply of chairs to schools in the region,” he said.

Ojougboh said that the NDDC had written letters to the National Assembly to explain why N11.6 billion budgeted for the completion of hospitals was removed and replaced with supply of chairs and desks.

He asked: “Is that what we deserve in Niger Delta?”

August 7, 2020
NDDC demands refund of N2.5b from Sen. Nwaoboshi over diversion of plastic chairs for N/Delta schools

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has demanded a refund of N2.5bn allegedly diverted by the senator representing Delta North senatorial district, Sen. Peter Nwaoboshi.

The funds NDDC claims is meant for the supply of plastic chairs, tables to schools in the Niger Delta region.

A letter sighted by TheNewsGuru(TNG), which was signed by the Commission’s Director, Legal Services, Peter Claver, stated that Nwaoboshi is to refund the sum of ₦2,552,305,600.OO (Two Billion, Five Hundred and FiffyTwo Million, Three Hundred, and Five Thousand And Six Hundred Naira). to the Commission being the contract sums paid in respect of the said contracts within 14 days of this letter.

The letter in full:

“NIGER DELTA DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION (NDDC)
HEADQUARTERS
167 ABA ROAD, HARCOURT
084 – 232650,
July 5, 2020.

Senator Peter Nwaoboshi,
National Assembly Complex, Three Arms Zone, Abuja.

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Sir,
DEMAND FOR THE REFUND OF THE SUM OF ₦2.552 305.600.00 (TWO BILLION. FIVE HUNDRED AND FIFTY TWO MILLION. THREE HUNDRED AND FIVE THOUSAND AND SIX HUNDRED NAIRA) BEING MONEY HAD AND RECEIVED IN RESPECT OF CONTRACTS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF PLASTIC DESKS AND CHAIRS FOR PRIMARY/SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN THE NIGER DELTA REGION.

The subject here above refers, please.

2. I have been directed to write to you and to state as follows

3. That sometime in 2017, the Commission awarded contracts to certain companies for the production of desks and chairs for primary and secondary schools in the Niger Delta region under the 201 6 budget of the Commission. The list of the companies is attached as Annexure ‘A’. The total value of the said contracts was ₦2.552.305,600.OO (Two Billion. Five Hundred and Fifty Two Million. Three Hundred and Five Thousand And Six Hundred Naira).

4. That the contracts were in furtherance of the Commission’s education sector mandate as catalyst for the improvement of classroom and learning conditions in the Niger Delta region.

5. That instead of supplying the chairs and desks to the Commission’s warehouse in Port Harcourt or to any of the NDDC offices in the nine Niger Delta States, the items were supplied to a warehouse described as Akuede Akwis’ located at Benin Expressway, Okpanam, before Wichetech Aluminum Company.

5. That the 2019 budget of the Commission also contains the following heads:
a. Provisions and supply of Plastic Chairs and Desks for Primary and Secondary Schools in Delta North Senatorial District (Lots 1-15) for (Serial No. 21).
NDDC
b. Provisions and supply of Plastic Chairs and Desks for Primary and Secondary Schools in Delta North Senatorial District (Lots 1-20) for (Serial No. 33).
c. Production and distribution of Desks and Benches in selected schools in the Niger Delta Region for (Serial No. 396).
This brings the 2019 budgetary provision for chairs and benches to a total of

6. That despite having fully paid for the 2017 contracts for the production of chairs and desks, the items have not been supplied to the Commission. The resultant effect is that the Commission and the Niger Delta region have been deprived of the use of the desks and chairs.

7. That I have been further directed to demand that you refund the sum of ₦2,552,305,600.OO (Two Billion, Five Hundred and FiffyTwo Million, Three Hundred and Five Thousand And Six Hundred Naira). to the Commission being the contract sums paid in respect of the said contracts within 14 days of this letter.

Please accept sir, the assurances of our highest regards and esteem.

Delta Development Commission
Peter Claver Okoro, Esq.
Director, Legal Services

August 7, 2020
NDDC’s Acting MD, Pondei resurfaces at ceremony to commission 13-floor building in Rivers

The Acting Manager, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Prof. Keme Pondei, has regretted the delay in the completion of the NDDC permanent headquarters saying the commission operated a rented apartment for over 20 years.

Pondei, who spoke while inaugurating a committee for the completion and commissioning of its 13-floor new permanent headquarters at the Eastern By-Pass, Port Harcourt, on Thursday described the permanent office project as a never-ending undertaking.

The NDDC Director, Corporate Affairs, Charles Odili quoted Pondei as saying: “The Headquarters Project, which was commenced in the Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission, OMPADEC times, has in itself been a never-ending undertaking of the Commission all this while, constituting a permanent drain on its resources with continuous flow of funds and resources to the project over these years.

“Several revisions, redesigns and amendments later, it was still without a completion schedule or date at the inception of the Interim Management Committee, IMC. Today we are happy that it is now a project under final completion phases.”

Pondei said that members of the committee were selected to see to the end of the process and plan for a befitting commissioning of the edifice.

“We are performing this inauguration ceremony from within the structure itself is a testimony to the resilience of the Commission under the IMC to bring this project to an end and to deliver a befitting home to the permanent ownership and use of the NDDC”, he said.

He said following the importance of the project, it was necessary to ensure that there were no further bottlenecks or delays arising from any bureaucracy.

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“We have decided that the Acting Executive Director Projects, EDP, of the Commission will directly handle and chair this assignment to the benefit of the Commission”, he said.

In his remarks, the EDP and chairman of the committee, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for giving the IMC the opportunity to serve, noting that the members were ever ready to work, in spite of all the distractions from those he said did not mean well for the Niger Delta region.

He said: “We have put everything behind us and we have resolved to work for the betterment of the Niger Delta. Our first mandate is to complete and commission the new NDDC headquarters.”

He thanked the Acting Managing Director for selecting members of the committee and assured that they would not disappoint him and the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.

He said: “Going forward, the Commission has resolved to go on with the job of developing the Niger Delta region.

“We will resume our inspections and all activities of the commission will continue as usual. We have grown above the distractions and we urge Nigerians to discountenance every mud thrown at the IMC and the NDDC.”

Ojougboh said that the task of completing the new headquarters was a test of the will of the commission to make sure that it did not derail.x

August 6, 2020
Contract list indicting Ibori, Kalu, Uduaghan, others not compiled by Akpabio – NDDC

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) on Tuesday said the controversial list of former governors and lawmakers submitted by the Minister of Niger Delta Senator Godswill Akpabio to the House of Representatives last week as beneficiaries of the commission’s contract largess was not compiled by the minister but a past management of the commission.

The commission however enjoined those whose names appeared on the list before the House not to panic because it had found that their some people used their names to get the jobs.

Prominent among those whose names are in the list compiled in 2018 are former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia), James Ibori (Delta}, Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta) and Senator Peter Nwaoboshi. But they have all denied ever enjoying such favours from the commission.

The NDDC which in a statement on Tuesday, said the 2018 list was part of the avalanche of documents submitted to its forensic auditors, added that there were other sets of lists of emergency project contracts awarded in 2017 and 2019 not submitted to the National Assembly.

It explained that the 2018 list was released to the House to expose committee chairmen in the National Assembly who used fronts to collect contracts from the commission, some of which were never executed.

“The IMC of the commission stands by the list, which came from files already in the possession of the forensic auditors. It is not an Akpabio list but the NDDC’s list. The list is part of the volume of 8,000 documents already handed over to the forensic auditors,” the NDDC said in the statement by its Director, Corporate Affairs, Charles Odili.

Odili added that the list did not include a case of 250 contracts, which were signed for and collected in one day by one person for members of the National Assembly.

According to him, the ongoing forensic audit would unearth persons behind the contracts.

He said that the commission had positioned 185 media support specialists to identify the site of every project captured in its books for verification by the forensic auditors.

Odili advised members of the public to discountenance the “avalanche of falsehood being orchestrated by mischief makers,” regretting that “more insinuations and accusations may be thrown into the public space by those opposed to the IMC.”

August 5, 2020
N10b stolen from NDDC for Rivers election – Wike

Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike has made a sensational claim that N10billion was withdrawn from the accounts of the Niger Delta Development Commission for 2019 election.

He claimed the money was used to fight him in the election.

It was not clear how the Rivers State Governor came upon the staggering slush fund.

He did not provide details, how it was taken, who took it and under what cover.

He however told Channels Television Tuesday, that it was time to involve technocrats in the administration of the Commission.

He agreed with President Muhammadu Buhari that it was obvious that politicians appointed to choice positions in the NDDC have failed to develop the Niger Delta region.

Wike claimed that Governors of the South South who were elected on the platform of the PDP are never consulted even though the law establishing the Commission recognizes them as part of the management of the agency.

He acknowledged that President Muhammadu Buhari has made efforts recently to correct the defect.

But he said that there is a mentality in the minds of members of the political class that the NDDC is a cash cow.

Governor Wike about a week ago secured a state High Court judgement that NDDC is barred from executing any project in the state without the consent of the state government.

The judgement was passed by Justice Adolphus Enebeli of the state High Court in case filed by the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice against NDDC and it’s management.

August 4, 2020