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Tag: NDDC

  • Coronavirus: Akwa Ibom raise suspicions over NCDC’s announcements, demands second tests

    Coronavirus: Akwa Ibom raise suspicions over NCDC’s announcements, demands second tests

    The Akwa Ibom government appears to be contesting the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC)’s announcement of cases of the novel coronavirus in the state.

    The government has demanded a “reconfirmation” of the the announced cases, according to a statement released Thursday.

    The NCDC on Wednesday said there were five confirmed cases of the virus infection in the state.

    But the state government, in a statement from its Commissioner for Health, Dominic Ukpong, raised questions over the announcement by the NCDC, saying that there was “a disturbing breach in the test and reporting procedure” adopted by the agency.

    The Akwa Ibom government said it only heard about the results of the test in the news.

    It is unclear, for now, if the NCDC is required by protocols to inform state governments before the agency goes public with the results of COVID-19 tests.

    The statement from the Akwa Ibom government said even the director general of the NCDC was unaware of the result that was announced by the agency.

    “All 5 reported positive test cases have been contacted and they have showed no COVID-19 symptoms.

    “Owing to the irregularities observed in the testing and reporting procedure, Health Care Professionals in Akwa Ibom State have called for an immediate reconfirmation test on the 5 reported cases,” the statement said.

    The government said samples they have sent to the NCDC for the COVID-19 testing have all returned negative results.

  • Coronavirus: NDDC donates N1bn to Niger Delta States

    Coronavirus: NDDC donates N1bn to Niger Delta States

    The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has announced the donation of N1.045 billion to the nine states of the Niger Delta region to fight against the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the region.

    Prof. Kemebradikumo Pondei, Acting Managing Director, NDDC, announced this in a statement issued on Tuesday in Port Harcourt, by the commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Charles Odili.

    Pondei, who directed immediate shutdown of NDDC operations in the states, said the fund would soon be released to authorities in the states.

    “The interventionist agency will make available N775 million to support the nine states under its mandate.

    “Also, additional N270 million will be released to fast-track the establishment of isolation centres in the 27 senatorial districts across the region.

    He said the commission was also collaborating with stakeholders in the area of treatment of COVID-19 patients.

    “We are exploring avenues to see if we could intervene in providing ventilators and facilitate the procurement of oxygen.

    “We are also looking at the drugs that have been used so far in other climes for treatment. NDDC is going a step ahead of what others are doing,” Pondei added.

    The managing director said the total shutdown of NDDC operations on March 30, was due to growing concerns over increasing new infections.

    According to him, directors, heads as well as heads of units of security, plant operators and other essential workers would provide skeletal services during the shutdown.

  • Reps approve N346.3 billion NDDC 2019 budget

    The House of Representatives has passed the 2019 Appropriation bill of N346.388 billion for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), for its 2019 operations.

    This was sequel to a unanimous adoption of a report on the bill by the NDDC Chairman, Rep. Olubumi Tunji-Ojo (APC-Ondo), at the Committee on Supply, on Wednesday in Abuja.

    The House approved an overhead expenditure of N13.4 billion, N4.08 billion for internal capital expenditure and N306.6 billion for development projects.

    Addressing journalists after the passage of the bill, Tunji-Ojo said that the implementation of the budget was expected to end by May 31, as the house commenced the process to approve the 2020 budget for the commission.

    He explained that in the past, the NDDC had been running its budget in arrears, but the 9th House of Representatives insisted things must be done properly.

    Tunji -Ojo said that the house insisted that the 2019 and 2020 budgets be submitted to the house, which was done late last year.

    The Rep. said that the house must pass the 2019 Budget before that of 2020 in line with legislative best practices.

    “We are starting work immediately on the 2020 Budget and in no time, may be by next month, we should have gone far enough to pass it on or before May 2020.

    “It is our desire that by June, the NDDC should have started running a normal budget circle again,” he said.

    Tunji-Ojo assured that the house will ensure proper implementation of the budget even though the commission has a good track record for budget implementation.

    He noted that the 2018 NDDC budget had an implementation rate of 98 per cent.

    The chairman said that in spite of NDDC’s track record on efficient budget implementation however, the committee would take its oversight function seriously.

    According to the lawmaker, the committee would ensure the quality of work done meets international standards; adding the Niger Delta region is very important to the country.

    “This is the house of the people, that is why we are here; we stand for nothing but the interest of the people and it is our desire that every kobo (penny) of the Niger Delta is used for the people of the region.

    “You can be sure that under my chairmanship, we will not shy away from that responsibility, and we hope that by this time next year, we will not be talking about this,” Tunji-Ojo said.

  • NDDC in trouble, needs radical change – New Acting MD

    NDDC in trouble, needs radical change – New Acting MD

    The new Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Prof. Kemebradikumo Pondei, has declared that the commission is in trouble and requires radical change to enhance service delivery.

    He stated this during a meeting with management and staff of NDDC, shortly after assuming office at the commission’s headquarters on Aba Road in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

    The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, had on Wednesday inaugurated the five-member enlarged Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the NDDC, as approved by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The NDDC boss stated that there was need to change a number of things in the commission, saying: “We need to have quality assurance, because we must have measurable performance indicators in every unit and department.

    “By my training, I am a problem solver and I pray that members of the IMC will work together to solve problems. The NDDC has existed for about 20 years, rising from the ashes of the Oil Mineral Producing

  • Niger Delta Group flays setting up of another NDDC Interim Management Committee

    Niger Delta Group flays setting up of another NDDC Interim Management Committee

    Niger Delta Accountability and Development Coalition (NDADC) has raised alarm about the setting up and inauguration of yet another Interim Management Committee, now with five members, barely four months after the Joi Nunieh-led Committee was inaugurated, describing it as evidence of a deliberate plan to continually delay the inauguration of a truly representative Governing Board for the embattled Commission.

    In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Johnson Epia, the group stated that it is persuaded that there are attempts to use the forensic audit exercise ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari as a ploy to thwart the inauguration of a Governing Board for NDDC, wondering why it has taken all of four months for the Ministry of Niger Delta and NDDC Interim Management to announce the appointment of an auditor who has now been given a nine-month time frame for the conclusion of the audit exercise.

    According to the Group, people of Niger Delta are restive over the happenings at the NDDC and are opposed to the seemingly unending cycle of Interim Management on two principal grounds.

    “One is that the IMC even at the current number of five is still not representative of all the diverse states and groups as provided for in the NDCC Act of 2000, as amended, for the composition of its Governing Board.

    The Act provides for representation from all nine states and non-oil producing geopolitical zones. The Board approved by the Senate has 15 members.

    The second reason is that the IMC has proven to be a complete waste of resources and unable to add value to the people of the region. It is clearly just a sitting committee to collect outrageous allowances without meaningful impact. The story with Nunieh, who has just been removed, has shown that it does not even have the integrity to supervise an audit.”

    Johnson Epia insisted that to ensure that these new interim management appointments do not become merry-go-round the Governing Board should be inaugurated and given a clear mandate to fast-track development, while the forensic audit takes place.

    According to him, it is reductionist thinking to believe that the routine governance institutions provided for an agency like NDDC must be circumscribed in order to audit its activities and processes, asking that “if that is so, why are other agencies of government not being run by interim management committees?”

    He therefore urged President Buhari to abide by the NDDC Act and inaugurate the Governing Board for the Commission just like there is a proper board for the North East Development Commission, as the ad-hoc Interim Management Committee of NDDC has proven to be both unpopular and ineffective.

  • Akpabio inaugurates enlarged NDDC Interim Management Committee

    The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio has charged the enlarged Interim Management Committee of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to cooperate with forensic auditors to audit the operations of the Commission as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The President had on Wednesday approved the enlargement of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the NDDc from three to five.

    The five members of the Committee are: Prof Kemebradikumo Daniel Pondei, Acting Managing Director replacing Barrister Joi Nunieh; Chief Ibanga Bassey Etang, Acting Executive Director (Finance and Administration); Dr Cairo Ojougboh, Acting Executive Director (Projects); Mrs Caroline Nagbo (Member) and Cecilia Bukola Akintomide (Member.)

    Inaugurating the new Acting Managing Director and Members, Senator Akpabio said President Buhari enlarged the Interim Management Committee to inject new blood into the Commission for better service delivery.

    According to Senator Akpabio, change was inevitable in a Commission like the NDDC. He said the NDDC was passing through a phase that would soon be over and thanked President Buhari for giving the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs the responsibility of surevising the NDDC.

    “The story of NDDC in the last 19 years has not been so rosy. The NDDC, we believe could have achieved more. You have a stunted child who could have been a six-footer. We need to find out the reason why the child could not grow. Is it that the child was not given enough nourishment?

    “And then the country is looking at the fact that a lot of money has gone into the NDDC but we could not see commensurate result. I am not saying this to deride any particular person. I am not saying this to bring down anybody. I am not saying this to make a political point. I say this from the point of truism.

    “I am a Niger Deltan and I believe in the Niger Delta. God has put us in the Niger Delta to make a difference. I had the opportunity of being a Governor in the Niger Delta and I left my mark behind. Nobody can deny that there was uncommon transformation of Akwa Ibom State.

    “I will like to see the NDDC build specialist hospitals. I will like to see the NDDC provide light to communities in darkness. I will like to see the NDDC support industrialization and food sufficiency in the Niger Delta. These things are possible, it is a question of commitment.

    “I want to thank President Buhari for the interest he has shown in the Niger Delta region. That is why he ordered the forensic audit of the Commission. As soon as the forensic auditor was appointed, there was need to inject new blood into the Interim Management Committee. The NDDC must change and we will all work together to achieve that,” Senator Akpabio said.

    Speaking further, Senator Akpabio advised the Interim Management Committee members to work as a team to achieve the goal set for them by President Buhari. He said as the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, he was not interested in running the NDDC but he would be interested in how the NDDC is run.

    The Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Omotayo Alasoadura emphasized on the need for a synergy between the Ministry and the Commission. He said since President Buhari had in his wisdom asked the Ministry to supervise the Commission, the NDDC had no option than to work and deliver on their mandate with absolute cooperation between the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and the NDDC.

    In his response, the new Acting Mangaing Director, Prof Pondei thanked President Buhari for the confidence reposed in them to manage the affairs of the NDDC and see through the forensic auditing of the Commission.

    He promised to work together with other members of the Interim Management Committee to achieve the goal set ffor them. He solicited the cooperation of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and said they would leave the Commission better than they have met it.

    Senator Akpabio had earlier administered the oath of allegiance and oath of office to the new Acting Managing Director and Members.

  • NDDC inaugurates project, contract committees for finance auditing

    NDDC inaugurates project, contract committees for finance auditing

    The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has inaugurated contract documentation and project assessment committees in preparation for forensic audit of its finances.

    The acting Managing Director, Dr Joi Nunieh, said this in a statement on Saturday by Mr Charles Odili, its Director, Corporate Affairs in Port Harcourt.

    She said that the two committees would continue from where the Contract Verification Committee stopped as well as complement the expected forensic audit of the commission.

    According to her, the contract documentation committee will authenticate all documents submitted by contractors while the project assessment committee will visit the various sites to verify contractors’ claims.

    “The committees will start work from Feb. 10, even as the commission prepares to defend its budget before the Senate on Feb. 12.

    “The just concluded verification exercise has been an eye opener for us. We will address the press on Feb. 10 for a full briefing on the reports from the exercise.

    “That report will show Nigerians that we are truly determined to refocus NDDC to properly develop the Niger Delta region,” she said.

    Nunieh said the verification exercise revealed high level of corruption in the award of contracts running into billions of Naira.

    “Some contract award letters were found to be fake; some of the companies were not registered while some where registered after they had been given contracts.

    “Also, some of the companies do not have the requirements prescribed in the Public Procurement Act to handle such projects. We also found out that some individuals have 50 to 100 different (contract) award letters under different names,” she said.

    Nunieh said that only few contractors showed up for the verification exercise, adding that NDDC would not visit sites of contractors who refused to participate in the assessment.

    The acting managing director said that only contractors and consultants who executed their contracts to specification would be paid.

    “We will work with the Community Development Committees of the various communities and the villages to testify that the roads in their communities are done properly.

    “No committee member is allowed to take money from any contractor or contractor attempting to induce committee members. The entire process of assessment is free,” she said.

    Nunieh said that contractors and consultants owed between N1 million and N20 million would be paid immediately after NDDC verified their debt portfolio and budget was passed.

  • FG to complete 9,000 abandoned N/Delta projects – Akpabio

    The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, says the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the completion of about 9,000 abandoned projects across the Niger Delta region.

    Akpabio made the disclosure when he briefed State House correspondents at the end of the Council meeting, presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday.

    The minister announced that the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) would also be constructing nine housing estates in the region while about 1,600 people had been empowered in the last 100 days.

    “We briefed the council today of the number of people that have so far been empowered in the first hundred days of coming into office.

    “Over 1,600 Niger Deltans have been empowered with different skills, through the skills acquisition programme.

    “We are building one skills acquisition centre per state in the region and many of them are at 80 to 90 per cent completion levels.

    “Each encompasses about 38 buildings, so it’s almost like a technical college, with accommodation and other facilities.

    “We are also doing about nine housing estates in the region from the Ministry’s perspective, to also add value to the affordable housing of the federal government’s policy,’’ he said.

    According to him, the ministry is engaging the various communities in the Niger Delta region to ensure safety of lives and property and at the same time ensure the growth of the region.

    He said the ministry was carrying out remediation works in the affected states in the region.

    He revealed that the ministry was also supervising the affairs of the Niger Delta Development Commission for optimal result, saying the ministry was at the verge of concluding the due process to commence the forensic audit of the NDDC.

    “I also briefed the council about the preparedness for the forensic audit.

    “We have got the Bureau of Public Procurement’s ‘No Objection’ and we have also been able to get the concurrence of the Auditor-General of the Federation’s office and lead consultants have come on board.

    “`At the moment we are trying to bring out the forensic auditors. Each state of the Niger Delta is a lot, we have nine lots in that section and then the headquarters is also a lot, which makes it ten.

    “We have already set up centres in the ten locations for verification, evaluation and documentation of all IPCs and all award letters for contracts so that we’ll know the contingent and actual liabilities of the NDDC.

    “At the end of the exercise, the federal government hopes to have a bankable NDDC, where the balance sheet can go to the bank and be accepted and bring value in terms of industrialization to the region,’’ he said.

    The Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Hajiya Ramatu Tijjani, who also spoke on the outcome of the meeting, said she presented ministerial deliverables of the FCT to the Council.

    She said: “We were able to shed more light on the assignment of creation of 5,000 affordable housing units in the federal capital territory.

    “This has gone a long way already because we have ensured, regulated and profiled investors already and have been able to secure land and make adequate provision for these 5,000 units.

    “We have 30 hectares of land in each area council, multiply by six that will give you about 180 hectares of land.’’

  • BREAKING: EFCC arraigns Reps NDDC Chair over alleged N400m money laundering

    BREAKING: EFCC arraigns Reps NDDC Chair over alleged N400m money laundering

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned the Chairman of the House Representatives Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Hon Nichols Mutu, before a Federal High Court in Abuja.

    Mutu was arraigned on a charge in which he was accused of involvement in about N400million money laundering and receiving kickbacks from NDDC contractors.

    Mutu, who has been the Chairman of the House Committee on NNDC since 1999, pleaded not guilty to the charge, following which Justice Folashade Giwa-Ogunbanjo allowed him to remain on the administrative bail earlier granted him by the EFCC.

  • NDDC Probe: Centre writes IGP, DSS, seeks protection for acting MD

    NDDC Probe: Centre writes IGP, DSS, seeks protection for acting MD

    Following the forensic audit of the activities of the Niger-Delta Development Commission, NDDC, the Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency (CESJET) has written the Inspector- General of Police and the Director-General of the Directorate of State Services to beef up security around the Managing Director of the commission, Dr. (Mrs.) Joi Nunieh.

    The centre, in a letter dated 28th January, 2020, made available to newsmen in Abuja, said the forensic probe has made the MD of the commission a target for disgruntled element who may be found culpable during the probe.

    The centre said there is no gainsaying the fact that the issue of certificate forgery is popping up at this material time mainly because Dr. Nunieh has inaugurated a 50 (Fifty) man Verification Committee headed by Dr. Cairo Ojougboh to audit and document projects and contracts awarded in the 9 (Nine) Niger Delta States to ascertain the authenticity or otherwise of certain suspicious Interim Payment Certificates (IPCs) paid to contractors, which has placed a debt burden of about N3 Trillion Naira on the Commission.

    According to Barrister Abiodun Sodiq Babalola, Director of Strategic Communication of CESJET, the centre observed that the unfortunate rage trailing the inauguration of the Interim Management Committee sometime in October, 2019 by the Federal Government of Nigeria to run the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is taking an alarming dimension.

    He therefore sought security protection from relevant security agencies for the NDDC boss

    ”We recall that the Committee under the Chairmanship of Dr. (Mrs.) Joi Nunieh who doubles as Acting Managing Director of the Commission was meant to create an enabling environment for the forensic audit of the NDDC with a view to identifying and or exposing the massive corrupt practices perceived to have disrupted the original purpose of establishing the NDDC as an interventionist agency to alleviate the sufferings of the Niger Delta people.

    ”The forensic audit in the wisdom of President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR who sanctioned it was meant to cover 18 (Eighteen) years of the operation of the Commission.

    ”We can confirm that Dr. Gbene Joi Nunieh has not disappointed the Niger Delta people and indeed the whole country in carrying out her mandate. The huge success recorded by the Committee within a very short period is there for every observer to evaluate. Only on 19th December, 2019 it was revealed that the Committee following a tip-off, discovered the components of a Power Station worth $34 Million abandoned on the premises of the Nigeria Ports Authority in Port Harcourt since 2017. The said equipment was meant for the NDDC Sub-Station in Ekparagwa and Ikot Ekpene within Akwa Ibom State but left unused by a group of politicians turned contractors who would stop at nothing to loot and cripple the Nigerian economy.

    ”Little wonder then that Dr. Gbene Joi Nunieh is now a target for blackmail and possible assassination by agents of those persons who are afraid that the tsunami of the forensic audit will soon consume them. There was a recent accusation against Dr. Nunieh that she parades fake NYSC certificate. We make bold to state that this accusation is nothing but a deliberate attempt at smearing her hard reputation and distracting the ongoing drive to recover funds looted from NDDC.

    ”It gladdens our hearts to note that right thinking citizens of this country who know Dr. Nunieh and follow her antecedents over the years have since risen to the occasion under different Civil Society platforms to clear the air. There is no gainsaying the fact that the issue of certificate forgery is popping up at this material time mainly because Dr. Nunieh has inaugurated a 50 (Fifty) man Verification Committee headed by Dr. Cairo Ojougboh to audit and document projects and contracts awarded in the 9 (Nine) Niger Delta States to ascertain the authenticity or otherwise of certain suspicious Interim Payment Certificates (IPCs) paid to contractors, which has placed a debt burden of about N3 Trillion Naira on the Commission. The Verification Committee is billed to submit its report within the next two weeks as a prelude to the proper forensic audit”, he said.

    He said the worry of the centre at the moment is the security of Dr. Gbene Joi Nunieh who, had become a soft target by the very looters and economic saboteurs she is exposing.

    He called on the Department of State Services (DSS) to brace up to the task of beefing up security around Dr. Nunieh in the coming days.

    ”Incidences of threat to lives of public officials in Nigeria are not new but must be swiftly nipped in the bud before they become realities”_ he also said.