By Ralph Christopher, Abuja
More revelations on the mega billion scam at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has exposed, in an official statement linking a serving senator with N3.6 billion contract scam.
According to a press release signed by Mr. Charles Obi Odili, the Director, Corporate Affairs at NDDC Monday morning, “From our findings, the person who has questions to answer to the Niger Delta People is Senator (names witheld).
“Our records show that the Senator used 11 front companies (owned or traceable to him) to secure a contract of N3.6 billion in September 2016, in what is perhaps the biggest single case of looting of the Commission’s resources.”
NDDC proceeded to list the companies allegedly linked to the senator from Delta State in the statement.
It further said, “The inventory records show that these items were supplied and received on the Senator’s business premises and warehouse. Meanwhile, the contracts were awarded to him.
“However, some of the items supplied to the (Senator’s) warehouse through his cronies, were later resold to the Delta State Government, while the others were sold to other states through contracts awarded to him.
“All supply agreements were signed by one and the same person being (name withheld) traceable to the senator. This is in flagrant contravention of section 58(4) (a) and (d) of the Public Procurement Act.
“No wonder the Senator and his cohorts are jittery about the on-going forensic audit exercise in the NDDC and are doing everything possible to derail it.
“We believe that until the Senator can absolve himself of his role in the looting of the resources of the Commission, he should step aside from any investigative activity against the Commission.
“NDDC deserves the freedom to deliver on its mandate”, the statement said.
NNDC was reacting to a statement by thr Senator accusing the Commission of awarding N500m contract to Sen. Godswill Akpabio, the current Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.
NDDC said “Our attention has been drawn to a statement by Senator (names witheld), Chairman of the Senate Committee … that the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) awarded a contract of N500 million to the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, which he did not execute.
“The Commission wishes to state that it has searched through its records and there is no evidence of any contract awarded to Sen. Akpabio or any company associated with him by the NDDC.
“The person who has questions to answer to the Niger Delta People is the Senator (from Delta State),” the Commission said.
Contract and other forms of fraud have been exposed at the NDDC, which has revealed why billions of Naira budgetted for the Commission never translated to tangible relief to the Niger Delta people and their ecosystem, ravaged by oil spill and other forms of degrdation.
According to findings by The AUTHORITY, there are several uncompleted projects awarded by the NDDC, yet, no money had ever been returned to the public treasury as unspent money by the Commission in any financial year.
The people of the zone where over 85 percent of the nation’s resources are sourced only depits environmental degredation, lack of social infrastructure and abandonment, yet, billions of Naira is budgetted yearly for the NDDC, which are now being exposed as having been psyphoned by powerful individuals, mainly from the zone.
