TheNewsGuru

Tag: NDDC

  • BREAKING: Akeredolu picks ex-NDDC Commissioner as running mate

    BREAKING: Akeredolu picks ex-NDDC Commissioner as running mate

    Ondo Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has unveiled a former Commissioner in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Lucky Ayedatiwa as his running mate for the October 10 governorship poll.

    Akeredolu, who spoke at the swearing-in of new aides, said Ayedatiwa possessed verifiable credentials.

    The Governor stated the decision to pick Ayedeatiwa was taken after wide consultations with party leaders.

    According to him, “The leaders of the party have made wide consultations to choose the most suitable candidate as running mate in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the state. We have concluded that Mr. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa is the appropriate choice given the prevailing circumstances in the political arena at present.

    ”This person has been with us since the beginning of this political journey in 2012. In arriving at this choice, some important factors assisted the leaders of this great party. We have decided to sever ties with mediocrity and treachery.

    “There is indeed no art to find the mind’s construction in the face. We are also not in any position to change yesterday. We must, however, allow the experiences of the immediate past to guide our decision.

    ” A candidate with verifiable credentials and pedigree has been chosen to complete the last part of the gubernatorial race. We may not have chosen a saint and the best but let it not be said that we, either wittingly or otherwise, settle for an avowed hater of human beings and good things, an enemy of his own people and a serial forger. We owe our people the duty of care in this regard”.

  • Pay stranded students tuition fees abroad, NiDCOM tells NDDC

    Pay stranded students tuition fees abroad, NiDCOM tells NDDC

    The Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has appealed to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to pay the allowances, tuition fees and other incentives of students on scholarship scheme.
    In a statement signed by Mr Gabriel Odu, Head of Media, Public Relations and Protocol Unit, NIDCOM, Dabiri-Erewa said that as a matter of urgency, NDDC should intervene by promptly paying other incentives of students on their scholarship scheme to guarantee their stay and education in the UK.
    According to her, a letter written to the Hon Minister of the Niger Delta Sen. Godswill Akpabio in June draws the attention of NDDC to the plight of the students that are under their scholarships scheme.
    “The commission counts on the minister’s assurances that all outstanding payments to affected students will be made.
    “At the moment, there have been persistent calls by the students for urgent intervention.
    “The deadline for payment of the fees of some of the students have expired or about to expire, non payment of their allowances have
    turned many of them to virtually beggars,” she said.
    The NiDCOM Chairman once again appealed to the Niger Delta Ministry and the NDDC to intervene urgently and promptly too.
  • Rot in NDDC: South South Governors complicit, says Urhobo group

    Rot in NDDC: South South Governors complicit, says Urhobo group

    An Urhobo group representing the people of the Niger Delta known as Urhobo Leadership Forum, Abuja (ULFA) has said Governors of the South South are complicit in the ongoing rot in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports President of ULFA, Chief Jonathan Esin, who made this known at a briefing on Monday in Abuja, also stated that the federal government was not without blame in the recent happenings in the NDDC.

    Chief Esin said the leadership of the NDDC has remained perennially unstable, and that the development appears to ensure the turn-by-turn looting of the Commission.

    He noted with dismay the silence of the Governors of the Niger Delta region on the massive looting going on in the NDDC in spite of the fact that they have statutory roles to play under the Act in the attainment of the developmental goals of the region.

    “It could be said that the federal government’s approach to the management of the NDDC after the expiration of the tenure of the last governing board gave rise to untoward developments. This is further exacerbated by the meddlesomeness of top government functionaries and their cohorts in the affairs of the Commission,” he stated.

    Esin stated that the idea of the government in undertaking the forensic audit of the NDDC was commendable, but that working with an Interim Management Committee (IMC) was absurd.

    According to him, the provisions for the management of the NDDC ought to have been sufficient for the effective management of the Commission, if at all those concerned have respect for law.

    He expressed concerns over the horrendous revelations that have emanated from the investigations by the National Assembly (NASS) into the finances of the NDDC.

    He vehemently warned against scrapping the NDDC, and called for the swearing in of the members of the Board earlier screened by the Senate to enable the Commission settle quickly into its role.

    Read full statement by the President of the ULFA at the briefing below:

    The Urhobo Leadership Forum Abuja (ULFA), is a think-tank Forum of Urhobo people resident in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The body anchors its ethos amongst others, on the enhancement of the welfare of its members and the promotion of development, unity and peace among Urhobo people and foster cordial relationship with other ethnic groups, within the context of a peaceful, united and progressive Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    We are very concerned about the horrendous revelations, which have emanated in the past couple of days, from the investigations by the NASS into the finances of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

    The revelations of massive looting of the hard-fought-for and won financial allocations made to the Niger Delta area which are reposed in the NDDC in trust for the long-suffering people of the area, is to say the least, shocking.

    The ugly developments have led to aspersions being cast on all the people of the area as being somewhat complicit. As an indication of our embarrassment, consternation and indignation, the ULFA has critically examined the issues and hereby put forward our views on the state of affairs in the NDDC in particular, and the Niger Delta region in general.

    The NDDC as an interventionist organisation, is vested with the mandate to bring about the overall development of the Niger Delta area and in particular conceive, plan and implement in accordance with enabling Act projects and programmes for the sustainable development of the Niger Delta area in the fields of transportation (including roads, jetties and waterways), health, employment, industrialization, agriculture and fisheries, and urban development. Similar responsibilities have been successfully executed in other wetlands of the world.

    The NDDC Act 2000 (as amended) is a very comprehensive piece of legislation in all of its structure and inbuilt control mechanisms. The President, Board including representatives of oil companies), Management Committee, Advisory committee (comprising Governors of the area) and a Monitoring Committee (comprising public/civil servants) including other in-house provisions, ought to be sufficient for the effective management of the Commission, if at all those concerned have respect for law and are imbued with a sense of mission to turn the fortunes of the area around.

    Unfortunately, the Commission has been perennially beset with problems since its inception and has thus failed woefully to impact on the quality of life of the people.

    In this regard, the following points are noteworthy:

    We observe that the Act setting up the NDDC has been held more in the breach than in the observance.

    The idea of the Government in undertaking forensic audit is commendable, but working with an illegal IMC is absurd.

    The National Assembly’s handling of the petitions that emanated from the Niger Delta indigenes and NGOs has shown that the Commission is a cesspool of corruption, rot and a conduit for perpetuating the despoliation and plundering of the resources of our people by a few Nigerian leaders and their cronies

    There is no doubt that some members of the bureaucracy of the Commission may have been complicit by their connivance with members of the political class. This may have resulted in the declaration of fictitious projects completed and other corrupt practices

    The ULFA notes also that the leadership of the NDDC has remained perennially unstable. Indeed, in its 20 years of existence, it has had 16 Chief Executives – an average of one MD every 1 year and 3 months. The development appears to ensure the turn-by turn looting of the NDDC.

    We note with dismay the silence of the Governors of the Niger Delta region on the massive looting going on in the NDDC in spite of the fact that have statutory roles to play under the Act in the attainment of the developmental goals of the region.

    It could be said that Federal government’s approach to the management of the NDDC after the expiration of the tenure of the last Governing Board gave rise to untoward developments. This is further exacerbated by the meddlesomeness of top government functionaries and their cohorts in the affairs of the Commission.

    The intendment of the NDDC Act is subverted and jettisoned in favour of directives from those who exercise the Federal might. This has been with the connivance of some Niger-Delta elements, all of whom are unperturbed by the dire future of the people of the area when oil and gas exploration and production would have become a thing of the past.

    The quality of persons appointed to the Board and the Chief Executive of NDDC leaves much to be desired. A situation where both the Board Chairman and Chief Executive of the Commission have been mainly politicians is inimical to the growth and development of the Niger Delta area. Apart from only 2, all other past Managing Directors have been politicians. The consequence is that they have continued to be lackeys and stooges of their mentors.

    We like to conclude by emphasising that the NDDC is an interventionist created to fast tract development in the region This is in addition to the statutory responsibilities, which the Niger Delta States and the FGN owe to the region as part and parcel of the Nigerian Federation. But we note with pain and regret that both tiers of government have failed woefully in this regard Therefore, in the final analysis, the failure of the NDDC is NOT the only problem of the region.

    In order to bring the rot and looting in the NDDC to an end and reposition it to effectively deliver on its statutory responsibilities, the ULFA hereby recommends as follows:

    That sensitive positions in the NDDC management, such as the Managing Director/CEO, should henceforth not be given to active partisan political actors. Nevertheless, in light of the exigencies of the moment, the members of the Board earlier screened by the Senate, should be sworn-in without delay to enable the Commission settle quickly into its role,

    A competent and reputable external audit firm should be engaged after the inauguration of the Board to execute the forensic audit of the Commission including top management officials since the inception of the NDDC.

    The recommendations of the National Assembly’s investigation of the NDDC Interim Management Committee should be acted upon by the Executive branch of Government without delay,

    All persons involved in financial embezzlement and misappropriation should face the penalty imposed by law, including forfeiture of improperly acquired wealth,

    The audited accounts and reports of the NDDC should be undertaken and made available as stipulated by the enabling Act, 46 Government should strengthen the Commission’s financial management and internal control system. For example, in the implementation of the Procurement Act provisions against contract splitting should be rigorously enforced,

    All major contracts or projects should be handled by reputable contracting firms, preferably in which the Niger Delta indigenes have substantial stakes,

    Projects locations, completion status and costs should be regularly published on the NDDC portal and such information should be made available to the Niger Delta State Governments and the LGAS,

    The Local Content of every project should be visibly verifiable,

    The Commission should concentrate on mega projects with impact across create its own problems.

    Therefore, this matter should be handled with the seriousness, equity and justice the situation demands so that there is no the Niger Delta area,

    That NDDC must not be scrapped. The ULFA cautions that such an action will relapse or degeneration into the destructive militancy that predated the establishment of the NDDC.

    Their Excellences, the Governors of the Niger Delta states should be more alive to their responsibilities of “advising the NDDC Board and monitoring the activities of the Commission for the equitable development of the Niger Delta Area as stipulated in the enabling Act.

    Finally, the ULFA appeals to the people of the Niger Delta region to remain peaceful and calm as we await the Federal government to reposition the Commission to deliver on its mandate.

  • [Video] We awarded N3.7bn to Sen. Nwaoboshi for supply of plastic chairs to Niger Delta schools – NDDC

    [Video] We awarded N3.7bn to Sen. Nwaoboshi for supply of plastic chairs to Niger Delta schools – NDDC

    The Executive Director in charge of Projects and members of the IMC of Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC), Dr. Cairo Ojougboh on Monday accused Sen. Peter Nwaoboshi of diverting plastic chairs belonging to the Federal Government of Nigeria worth the total sum of N3.7BN.

    Ojougboh who made the veiled accusation during an interview session on Arise TV alleged that the contract was given to a senator in 2018 (Nwaoboshi), stressing that the plastic chairs have been traced to a warehouse allegedly belonging to the said lawmaker.

    Watch video:

    Recall the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, also named Nwaobshi among some federal lawmakers who allegedly got contracts from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

    The named lawmakers include the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta, Peter Nwabaoshi, whose name was listed against 53 projects.

    Some of the projects include emergency repairs of Asue Street, Owa Phase 2; ldumuogbe Road via Ojemaye; Otolokpo College Road, Otolokpo; and the Police lshu Ani Ukwu Road, Issele Uku, in Delta State.

    Mr Akpabio also said Senator Matthew Urhoghide got six projects, Senator James Manager got six contracts while a former senator, Samuel Anyanwu, got 19 projects.

    The former Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on the NDDC, Nicholas Mutu, was also named by the minister as receiving 74 contracts – the highest among the listed lawmakers.

    Some of the projects are emergency roads in Delta, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Rivers states.

    A few others were simply identified as Ondo and Edo Reps.

  • Sen. James Manager denies benefitting from NDDC’s contract, threatens to sue Akpabio

    Sen. James Manager denies benefitting from NDDC’s contract, threatens to sue Akpabio

    Senator James Manager, representing Delta South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, has denied benefitting from contracts of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) during and after his chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs.

    The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, had in a letter addressed to Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, which was leaked to newsmen by a youth group in Abuja on Sunday, named Manager as one of the lawmakers, who got six NDDC contracts.

    Gbajabiamila had given Akpabio 48- hour ultimatum to name lawmakers that allegedly got NDDC contracts.

    The Executive Director Projects of the agency, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, had accused the Senator of getting contracts from the Commission.

    However, Manager, in a statement on Monday, threatened legal action against the Commission’s Executive Director Projects for defamation.

    Manager said: “I sincerely wish to react as follows: That my tenure as chairman of Niger Delta Committee in the Senate effectively ended in 2015.

    “That ever since then I have never visited NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt or any of its branches.

    “That NDDC never awarded any contract to any company owned by me. That I do not know of any company owned by me, that has ever gone into bidding for government jobs anywhere in the world. (This may come to many as a surprise but that is the gospel truth).”

    He challenged Ojougboh to back his allegations with proof of evidence, saying: “Those who are alleging to defame me must be aware of the consequences.

    “That in the interest of the gullible innocent public, the authors led by the said Dr. Cairo Ojougboh or any other person should provide among other things the following please;

    “(A) detailed description of the said jobs. (B) names of companies (C) payments already made and to whom? (D) job performance (E) The Directors as they appear in the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

    “That I sincerely in the name God request for proof of evidence. This is a very simple minimum demand.”

  • NDDC: Itsekiri Interest Group Lauds NASS Committee Recommendations, Carpets ICC

    NDDC: Itsekiri Interest Group Lauds NASS Committee Recommendations, Carpets ICC

    The Itsekiri Interest Group (IIG), has praised what it described as the courage of the National Assembly (NASS), particularly the Senate Ad-hoc committee on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to recommend that the Prof. Kemebradikumo Pondei-led Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the NDDC be disbanded and the NDDC placed under the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), even as it condemned the ‘Itsekiri Consultative Congress (ICC)’ for what it described as its unbridled and uninformed attack on the NASS recommendations.

    IIG in a press statement issued in Warri on Saturday Sunday 26, 2020 by its Director of Research, Media and Publicity, Comrade Toritseju Okotie, said it is absurd for any right thinking Itsekiri person or group to go against the NASS investigation of the IMC of the NDDC and recommendations made thereafter, maintaining that the NASS exercise was in the overall interest of the oil-rich but manifestly underdeveloped Niger Delta region of Nigeria which include the Itsekiri as a leading oil-producing ethnic group in the country.

    “The IIG aligns totally with earlier calls by other notable Itsekiri groups and individuals like the Itsekiri Leaders of Thought (ILoT) , Prof. Itse Sagay, Chief (Mrs) Rita Lori-Ogbebor and other Niger Delta activists like Ijaw leader, Comrade Joseph Evah, who demanded for a thorough investigation into the financial scandal rocking the IMC of the NDDC and possible sacking of the current leadership. It is therefore preposterous and totally unItsekirilike for any thoroughbred Itsekiri person or group to kick against these open probe activities by the NASS and recommendations to President Muhammadu Buhari thereof. The unknown ICC as represented by a certain Collins Edema spoke for themselves and certainly not the Itsekiri,” Comrade Okotie stated.

    According to him, “the Itsekiri are known to always stand up against corruption and other forms of sharp practices which has become endemic in the NDDC and became even louder within the short life span of the IMC of the NDDC. This is why the IIG supports all what both the Senate and House of Representatives have done thus far in exposing the endemic corruption in the IMC of the NDDC leading into an unprecedented, crude and criminal looting of over N82 billion naira of funds meant for the development of the Niger Delta Region. All this happened within less than seven months of the IMC taking over the administration of NDDC!”

    Said Comrade Okotie: “The IIG further call for not just the sacking of the current IMC of the NDDC but also the prosecution in court of all principal officers found culpable in the wanton looting of funds meant to develop the Niger Delta region. The primary task of the IMC is to carry out a forensic audit of the NDDC from inception. However, it is manifestly clear to the blind and resoundingly loud to the deaf that this IMC team had no interest whatsoever to deliver on this onerous task. Their plan was to loot the treasury of NDDC dry. This is unacceptable. They must be fired and prosecuted. The Minister of Niger Delta Ministry, His Excellency, Senator Godswill Akpabio should also be made to account for his role in this whole cesspool of corruption within this short period the IMC took over the NDDC and if found culpable, shown the way out of President Buhari’s cabinet and prosecuted too.”

  • Magu, EFCC, NDDC probes to redefine Buhari’s anti-graft war, By Ehichioya Ezomon

    Magu, EFCC, NDDC probes to redefine Buhari’s anti-graft war, By Ehichioya Ezomon

    By Ehichioya Ezomon
    If President Muhammadu Buhari ever needed to reassure Nigerians, and the international community about his commitment to fighting corruption, the financial probes going on simultaneously in Abuja present that opportunity on a platter.
    The investigations of frauds at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) are holding at the Presidential Villa, and the National Assembly (NASS), respectively.
    While the alleged heist at the EFCC is in the region of billions of Naira, that at the NDDC is in trillions, stolen in brazen, reckless and unconscionable manner. The interventionist agency has become the ATM for rogues: those in charge of the commission, in cahoots with indigenes of the Niger Delta it’s meant to serve.
    It’s no coincidence that the Villa (presidency) and NASS are holding these investigations. While the Villa houses the seat of the executive arm of government, the NASS is saddled with legislative duty of making/enacting laws for the executive to implement.
    The executive and legislature, and the judiciary that interprets the laws made by the legislature and signed by the executive, are co-qual, co-owners, co-partners and “co-sharer of responsibility” of government. In other words, whatever affects one, affects the rest.
    But due to the peculiar nature of the Presidential System in which the three arms strive to assert their independence, they work at cross purposes, and the government has come to symbolize the executive, its head and the political party that controls it.
    That’s why in Nigeria, and indeed elsewhere (except in a strict Parliamentary System), corruption in whatever arm of government is placed at the doorstep of the executive: the presidency.
    It’s on this pedestal that the Buhari administration, which rode to power on the promise of fighting corruption, has to prove that the anti-graft war is still on, by getting to the root of the probes at the Villa and NASS, and making their findings public expeditiously.
    Nigerians have lost count of probes of corruption in government that didn’t “see the light of day” because those saddled with the investigations were directly or indirectly involved in the malaise.
    In local parlance, “If you ask a thief to assist in finding a stolen item, they will take you on a merry-go-round from where they hide the item.” This scenario has played out at the NASS probe.
    Debunking fraud allegations against her, the former acting managing director of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the NDDC, Ms Joi Nunieh, alleged sexual advances from the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
    Similarly, Mr Akpabio veered to questioning the qualifications of Ms Nunieh to be appointed to oversee the multibillion commission that serves the officially recognized oil-bearing states of Nigeria.
    Thus, the probe committee of the House of Representatives is being taken on circus show of sorts, perhaps intended to prevent getting to the bottom of the matter.
    In an earlier appearance at the committee’s sitting, the acting managing director of NDDC’s IMC, Prof. Kemebradikumo Pondei, and his team walked out on the members of the panel.
    Pondei’s excuse was that the committee’s chair, Rep. Olubumi Tunji-Ojo (APC-Ondo) should recuse himself, having been accused of various crimes against the NDDC, and as an interested party, he could not preside over the probe.
    Tunji-Ojo, indeed, recused himself on the next appearance of Pondei at the probe, yielding the chair to the vice-chairman, Rep. Thomas Ereyitomi (PDP-Delta).
    On that day, when he’s to submit 41 documents, Pondei came with only four, and each time he’s asked about a particular document, he would tell the panel, “I will supply it to you”.
    Then came a bizarrely, but comic relief that would be the envy of Nollywood actors: Pondei “fainted”, his white eyes rolling, and gradually slumped, his head on the table. It’s in the heat of rapid questioning as to how he spent N81 billion within four months.
    Breaching COVID-19 protocols, several participants rushed to revive him, and one man was seen, first applying mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, and later thrusting his fingers into Pondei’s mouth in order to keep it open.
    Revived, Pondei was escorted out of the committee room, and the Reps Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, was quoted later as saying that Pondei wouldn’t be invited again to conclude his testimony.
    As this “mild drama” was happening, Senator Akpabio was close by, waiting to take his turn, to defend allegations of fraud, and interference in the affairs of NDDC, supervised by his ministry.
    Testifying, Akpabio seemed to open the pandora box, and the committee chair, Rep. Ereyitomi, jumped in to stop him. “Isokaay”, “Isokaay”. “Off the mic, off the mic”, he urged Akpabio.
    Why the plea of “It’s okay” and “Turn off the mic”? Well, Akpabio was responding to queries on the unbridled contract awards at the NDDC, many unexecuted, and yet fully paid for upfront.
    It’s at that stage Akpabio alleged that about 60 per cent of the NDDC contracts were awarded to the lawmakers, and looked poised to name the beneficiaries but for the committee chairman’s intervention of “Isokaay”, “Off the mic” that’s gone viral.
    The probe session’s hilarity initially tickled Speaker Gbajabiamila, who toed a different line when the Minority Leader, Ndidi Elumelu, said Akpabio’s allegation had prompted calls from his constituents, wanting to know if he benefited from the contracts.
    The Speaker then gave Akpabio 48 hours to publish the names of the lawmakers he alleged benefited from the NDDC contracts, failing which the House would initiate legal action against him.
    At the plenary on Thursday, July 23, Gbajabiamila fulfilled his threats, by instructing the chamber’s Clerk to proceed with the writ against Akpabio. But a few minutes later, he read a letter from the Minister, denying his allegation against the lawmakers.
    Akpabio said the only reference he made to 60 per cent during his presentation before the NDDC committee was in response to a question by a member of the committee, on whether a Medical Director can serve as an Executive Director (Project).
    The Minister didn’t disappoint Nigerians, as politicians, threatened by lawmakers, always recanted by saying, “they were quoted out of context” by the press, the whipping boy of politicians.
    Notwithstanding, sceptics believe the NASS probe of the NDDC would end in futility, especially against the backdrop of the displays by Ms Nunieh, Prof. Pondei and Senator Akpabio, and the “body language” of the lawmakers.”
    Observers ponder the motive for stopping Akpabio midway into his testimony, and the Reps’ threats of a court action against him, concluding it’s a ploy to frighten and whip him into line, a gimmick that succeeded in getting him to recant.
    While the nation hasn’t been treated to salacious moments at the Presidential Panel on the EFCC, and specifically it’s suspended Acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, the presidency has given the assurance that the findings wouldn’t be swept under the carpet.
    Dispelling the probe as a witch-hunt, presidential spokesman on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, on July 22, wetted the public’s appetite for a surprising outcome. He spoke on Channels Television’s programme, ‘Politics Today’.
    Shehu said: “I am not going to preempt the panel investigation but I just advise Nigerians to hold their hearts in their hands. By the time they are done with this job and they come out with the reports, prepare yourselves for surprises.
    “I don’t know what will come out but if the sense we are getting from what is being done over there is anything to go by, I think that Nigerians should not be confused by any outbursts by anybody.”
    This is about the last chance for President Buhari to demonstrate that his administration hasn’t lost focus on the war against corruption, and that no one, including the drivers of the crusade, would escape the long arm of the law.
    * Mr. Ezomon, Journalist and Media Consultant, writes from Lagos, Nigeria.
  • NDDC received N946.91b as budgetary allocation in 18 years

    NDDC received N946.91b as budgetary allocation in 18 years

    The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) received a whopping N946. 91 billion as budgetary allocation in 18 years, documents from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation has shown.

    The sum is part of the N9.43 trillion allocated between 1999 to 2019 as 13 per cent derivation to the nine oil producing states and other agencies of the Federal Government involved in developing oil producing communities.

    Further information garnered from the Budget Office showed that the NDDC allocation is subsumed in the Ministry of Niger Delta’s total allocation.

    It is only in few instances that the commission’s allocations were separated.

    For instance, the NDDC got a budgetary allocation of N61,94bn in 2014; N45.78bn in 2015 and N71. 2bn in 2018.

    Other allocations that the commission got were buried in the main allocation of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and so the exact amount could not be readily determined.

    But budgetary allocation to the NDDC, from 2004 to 2019 stands at N769bn with the highest allocations of N81.9bn in 2018 and N100.19bn in 2019.

    Monthly FAAC disbursements, NDDC though the oil mineral producing states benefitted from 13% derivation amounting to N8.66trillion.

    Figures from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) showed that without fail, the 13% derivation was paid to the governments of the states identified as oil mineral producing states.

    Distribution from Foreign Excess Crude Savings Account for July, 2009 Augmentation; Distribution of $2billion from Foreign Excess Crude Savings Account; and Exchange Gain Difference were also paid out to the oil producing states among other pay outs.

    The office of the Auditor-General of the Federation has queried over N70 million spent by the NDDC to accommodate persons at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja between 2008 and 2012.

    In the extract review of responses to its audit query, the office also noted multiplicity of hotel bills and receipts, some of which the commission said were missing.

    It also identified about N133.16 million spent as advances on community engagements and project inspection which were not properly accounted for.

    The extract review reads in part: “In view of this, the then Acting Managing Director…. accordingly gave approval for the guests to be accommodated at the Transcorp Hilton Hotels, Abuja. The rooms were reserved in the name of the Ag. Managing Director and her S.A. At the end of it, the hotel management issued us with receipts.

    “We used the receipts as part of the documents in retiring the N70,000,000 (N50.000,000 and N20,000,000) that we collected for this purpose. The N10.000,000 that was left unspent at the end of the exercise was refunded.

  • Asari Dokubo tags N81bn theft at NDDC as mere pickpocketing

    Asari Dokubo tags N81bn theft at NDDC as mere pickpocketing

    Asari Dokubo, leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Salvation Force has described the alleged mismanagement of N18 billion by the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) as mere pickpocketing.

    He said the theft of the money is nothing compared to what other alleged stolen fund in the country.

    Recall that the National Assembly is currently investigating IMC over the alleged mismanagement of funds at the NDDC,

    It would also be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari had in October 2019, ordered a forensic audit of the commission’s activities from 2001 to 2019.

    But the IMC set up to manage the commission for the time being and supervise the audit has come under serious allegations bordering on mismanagement of funds.

    Since the NDDC probe started, many Nigerians on social media have been calling on activists in the Niger-Delta region to hold political leaders in the region responsible for the development of the region.

    However, while commenting on the saga, Dokubo in a video said the N81 billion allegedly stolen at the NDDC is insignificant compared to other alleged cases of loots and mismanagement of funds in the country.

    He likened the alleged N81bn theft to running after pickpockets and leaving armed robbers that came to his house.

    He said, “We are talking about N81 billion being pick-pocketed from Niger Delta while the bulk of our money, our resources are being carted away and we are not talking.

    “They want me to run after pickpocketers and leave armed robbers that are coming into my house. When they talk about Akpabio, tell them about Malami, when they talk about Joy, tell them about Sadiya, when they talk about any senator, tell them about Magu.”

  • I resigned from NDDC due to corruption – Kwankwaso

    I resigned from NDDC due to corruption – Kwankwaso

    A former governor of Kano State, Rab’iu Kwankwaso, on Saturday said he resigned from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in 2010 due to the rampant corrupt practices in many government agencies.

    He said this was as a result of the failure of the leadership of these agencies.

    Mr. Kwankwaso, a former presidential aspirant, resigned from the board of the NDDC in 2010.

    Mr Kwankwaso also said he resigned his appointment because of official corrupt practices in the commission “that he doesn’t want to take part in”.

    The former governor told BBC Hausa that the rampant corruption in the NDDC “was due to greed and desperate moves by government officials to accumulate wealth”.

    Kwankwaso said he hates corruption and would not be a part of it.

    “Many times people who sabotage the economy through stealing, nothing is done to them and they end up being with (in) the government.

    “All these happenings in the NDDC is because the leaders are not vigilant enough. If the leaders are responsible and vigilant over the huge amount of money being released, even through borrowing, and which is later embezzled, the government would have prevented this,” the former governor added.

    However, when asked why he could not expose the corrupt activities while in the NDDC, he said the “corrupt practices there were unprecedented”