OUR MISSION TO REPOSITION NDDC IN LINE WITH FORENSIC AUDIT II" BRING MASSIVE DEV. TO N'DELTA ~ OJOUGBOH ~

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OUR MISSION TO REPOSITION NDDC IN LINE WITH FORENSIC AUDIT II" BRING MASSIVE DEV. TO N'DELTA ~ OJOUGBOH ~

In his avowed determination to reposition the Niger Delta Developement Commission (NDDC) Acting Executive Director of Projects, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh has vowed that the Interim Management Committee's MISSION to REPOSITION the Commission inline with the ongoing FORENSIC AUDIT, is to bring Massive Infrastructural Developement to the region.

 

Dr Ojougboh made this statement while speaking to Smart Media Network Reporters recently, just as he frowned at the continuous attacks sponsored by some agrieved Politicians and erring Contractors to discredit the Honourable Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Sen. Godswill Akpabio and the Members of the IMC,  noting that no amount of Blackmail with unfounded allegations will stop the ongoing FORENSIC AUDIT from investigating their various transactions with the Commission in the past.

He however called on the Anti-Graft Agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) to beem their searchlights on DEFUALTERS who absconded with Public funds of NDDC.

He further urged the EFCC not to relent in their ongoing Investigation against Financial Defualters who received Mobilizations and Full Payment of Jobs awarded to their Companies but did not execute such projects nor return to sites.

WE ARE HERE TO STOP CORRUPTION AND ENSURE THAT PROPER THINGS ARE DONE ~ OJOUGBOH ~

In his avowed determinations to bring sanity and stability to NDDC and as well erase CORRUPTION from the COMMISSION, the Acting Executive Director of Project Dr Cairo Ojougboh has ordered the contractor handling the supply of equipments for NDDC-SUB POWER STATION Components worth 35Million US Dollars abandoned at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Rivers State since 2017 to wake-up to its responsibility and deliver on his part of the agreement reached on the said Contract. 

The NDDC-IMC through its Acting Executive Director of Projects Dr. Cairo Ojougboh having  received  a report on the NDDC CARGO, he quickly visited the Nigerian Ports Authority alongside  his technical team in Rivers State to see the abandoned equipments met for NDDC Sub-station sited at Ekparagwa and Ikot Epkene in Akwa Ibom state.

Addressing Newsmen during the inspection, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh  thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for bringing the Interim Managment Committee to oversee the commission for the period of the FORENSIC AUDIT, pointing out that the new board would not  continue with the same pattern of maladministration by Previous Boards.

In his words, he said; "First, i thank Mr. President for bringing in the Interim Managment Committee. We are here for CHANGE and the CHANGE is POSITIVE. Hence, well deserved kudoz goes to Mr. President. It is indeed very unfortunate to state that since the importation of these equipments in 2017 for a project worth 35Milion US Dollars, little or no field inspections have been made either by any delegated  commission's official or  MD of the NDDC thereby making it an abandoned project. Notwithstanding, the IMC will resurrect and complete the project in line with its AUDIT fuctions."

Further stating,  "You can see that there have been a deviation from the master plan of the NDDC to the extent that every management that comes will want to start a new course and abandon the projects of the previous administrations; but this time around, we have come to make realiy the tenacity of  Government as a continuous process. As such, we are concentrating on the rejuvenating abandoned  legacy projects of the NDDC and past administrations; thereby making the the people of the Niger Delta Region evidently feel the existence of the NDDC at their door step." 

Speaking in same regard, head of Marketing Adaku Ugochukwu said,  the items were components of Power Station brought into the ports since 2017, adding that no NDDC officials has come to even seen the equipments. Further stating, he said: "We wouldn't know why the owners have not come to clear them because as a Terminal we are even bothered because of space. Every Terminal wants space to do their business but these equipments have been abandoned here. Meanwhile, we have been looking for how to make the people that brought them come to collect them since 2017". In short, No NDDC official has come for the equipments, and to our surprise this is the first time NDDC officials led by the Interim managment Committe are coming officially  to see the Commission's CARGO since 2017." 

Dr Ojougboh who lamented over the situation also discribes it as wickedness, wondered why NDDC items which  arrived at the Port since 2017 are still lying fallow  in the port. As stated,  "There is serious need to question why these items are still here. We are here to see things for ourselves and make sure we evacuate these items as soon as possible because these items we understand are met for our sub-station for Ekparagwa and Ikot Epkene. So we will see what we can do about these equipments. It is clear from the batch numbers labeled on these equipments that they all belong to the NDDC. 

However, Mr. President has brought us to bring SANITY to the NDDC. Hence, we are here to stop CORRUPTION, we must  ensure that  things are done properly." He noted!

COURT ORDERS FORFEITURE OF N250M ALLEGEDLY DIVERTED FROM NDDC

The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered the forfeiture to the Federal Government, the sum of N250 million allegedly diverted from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

Justice Rilwan Aikawa gave the order on Thursday while ruling on an ex-parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for the interim forfeiture of the money.

Counsel to the EFCC, Usman Buhari, told the court that the money had been illegally diverted from the NDDC, through a contract awarded by the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Buhari asked the court to make an order of forfeiture, as well as an order directing the publication of the forfeiture order in a national newspaper for anyone interested in the funds to show cause within 14 days why a final order of forfeiture should not be made in favour of the Federal Government.

Justice Aikawa, in a short ruling, granted the request of the EFCC counsel and ordered the forfeiture of the money.

The matter was later adjourned until July 9, 2020.

OJOUGBOH 2019 GOVERNORSHIP CAMPAIGN ORGANIZATION SYMPATHIZES WITH FAMILY OVER IT'S CHAIRMAN DEATH

As Tributes continues to reach the family of Late Chief Austin Ogbaburhon of Udu LGA, Delta State, the Acting Executive Director of Project, Niger Delta Developement Commission (NDDC), Dr Cairo Ojougboh and his  Political Associate ""OJOUGBOH 2019 GOVERNORSHIP CAMPAIGNS ORGANIZATION"" sympathizes with the family of it's former Chairman, describing late Chief Hon Austin Ogbaburhon's  exit as painful, leaving eventful memories and legacies during his sojourn on earth.

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In a Condolence Message through his Loyalist, former Special Assistant (SA) to APC Presidential Campaign Council on YOUTHS Mobilization, Senior Comr. Ojemeh Emmanuel on behalf of Dr Ojougboh's Political Associates, Dr Ojougboh expresses his heartfelt Sympathy to the immediate and entire  family of Late: Austin Ogbaburhon, praying God to Grant the Family the fortitude to bear the lost.

In his words, which reads thus: sequel to the death of "OUR OWN CHIARMAN", we sympathize with  his family at this time of grief. May the Almighty God grant them all the fortitude to bear the loss and may the SOUL of our Dear departed Chairman REST in PERFECT PEACE , Amen!": he prayed.

#May_Almighty_Allah_Grant_the_SOUL_of_the_departed_Eternal_Rest.

APPOINT A DELTA IJAW AS NEW AMNESTY COORDINATOR, EX-GENERAL OPUTU BEGS BUHARI

*says it is the Turn of Delta Ijaw to be Appointed

An Ex-Militant General known as Ex-General Hon. Aroni Oputu, yesterday strongly appealed to the President Muhamadu Buhari to appoint an Ijaw man from Delta State as the new Presidential Amnesty Coordinator, saying that since the appointments of Amnesty Coordinators at the Presidency, Delta Ijaw has ever been appointed.

In a statement personally signed, Ex-General Oputu who is also the Niger Delta Co-ordinator Leadership Forum of Ex-agitators, Delta State Chapter noted that Bayelsa, Ondo and Rivers States have clinched that position since it's inception leaving Delta Ijaw behind.

The statement reads; "We the Ex-Militant Generals in Delta State which to strongly beg Mr. President to appoint one of us (an Ijaw Man from Delta State) as the Presidential Amnesty Coordinator because it is the turn of Delta State to produce the new Presidential Amnesty Coordinator. It will interest President Muhamadu to know that the first Niger Deltan to be appoited as Coordinator was Timi Alaibe from Bayelsa, then Kingsley Kuku from Ondo before the appointees from Rivers State respectively but none has come from Delta Ijaw whereas we were the Originators of the amnesty programme and we lost so much lives and properties in the amnesty struggle; and till date Delta Ijaws have not recovered from these lost in fighting for the freedom of Niger Deltans"  

"We are therefore appealing to President Muhamadu Buhari to take an Ijaw man from Delta. The entire ex-agitators in Delta from top to bottom will be extremely grateful if Mr. President listens to the crises of Delta Ijaws and do the needful by choosing one of us as the Presidential Amnesty Coordinator. Thank you Mr. President".

CERTIFICATE OF RETURN WITHDRAWAL: OMO-AGEGE TO KNOWS FATE AS JUDGEMENT SET FOR TOMORROW

The Federal High Court Abuja has fixed June 25 to deliver judgment on a suit asking for the withdrawal of the Certificate of Return of Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege.

At the resumed hearing, Omaga adopted all the process he filed and prayed the court to enter judgment in favour of his client.

For his part, Mr Alex Iziyon (SAN), counsel to Omo-Agege, argued that it was the contention of the plaintiff that Section 68 1(b) of the 1999 Constitution is different from Section 66 because of the use of the words “any other circumstance mentioned in Section 68 1(b)”.

According to him, it is settled law that any issue bordering on qualification or disqualification must find its bearing in the constitution.

He added that any other circumstance stated could not be interpreted outside the framework of the constitution.

Arguing on behalf of the Clerk of the Senate and the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Chikaosolu Ojukwu, prayed the court to dismiss the suit with punitive cost, describing it as vexatious and an abuse of judicial process.

He added that his client had filed a motion on notice challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the matter.

He added that the plaintiff ought to have commenced the matter 14 days after he became aware of the situation.

Ojukwu further prayed the court to award a cost of N500 million against the plaintiff should the court give judgment in favour of the defendants.

Counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mr Tanimu Inuwa (SAN), also urged the court to dismiss the matter, saying it is statute barred.

Inuwa added that Omo-Agege would have been disqualified if the alleged conviction was made within a period of less than 10 years from the date of the election in question.

He said that the alleged convictions were in 1995 and 1998, and the National Assembly election he contested was in 2019, which was more than 10 years.

The group had asked the court to order the withdrawal of Omo-Agege’s certificate on the grounds that he was not qualified to contest the February 2019 elections having been convicted by a court in the United States.

The group had also prayed the court for an order of perpetual injunction restraining Omo-Agege from occupying the office of senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District and deputy senate president.

The group said their suit was based on the grounds that Omo-Agege was not a competent, fit and proper person to occupy such an office considering the conviction hanging over his neck.

“Whereupon Omo-Agege was sentenced to jail and suspended from law practice for two years for felony involving moral turpitude, forgery of cheques amounting to $890 with which he intended to defraud the Bank of America, Ahined Mehone and Elpert Defrietas in violation of California Penal Code Section 470.”

The group also prayed the court for interpretation of Section 68 of the 1999 Constitution; to determine whether by the combined interpretation of Section 68(1) (b) of the 1999 Constitution, the judgment of the hearing of the Department of the State Bar Court sitting in Los Angeles, California, involving moral turpitude.

The plaintiff further prayed the court to award N500 million damages against the clerk of the senate for accepting to declare Omo-Agege deputy senate president after his nomination and election on June 11, 2019.

WHY THOSE ASKING COURT TO DECLARE NDDC-IMC ILLEGAL "II FAIL IN THEIR QUEST ~ CHIEF AYOMIDE

Cieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Chief Gabriel Ayomide has said that those asking Court to declare the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) illegal, null and void as its existence is contrary to the NDDC Act, will be disappointed as the law is very clear in this regard, pointed out that plaintiffs to the suit has also failed to substantiate evidence to establish their case

In suit No FHC/ABJ/CS/ 404/2020 against the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice  & Others by Comrade Itoldem Daghware, Bishop Chuk Johnson, Julius Akinterinwa and the Registered Trustees of the Niger Delta Youth Forum, are asking court to set aside the constitution of the IMC.

According to the plaintiffs, the setting up of IMC was illegal, unconstitutional and a flagrant abuse of  Section 2,7,9 ,10 and 12(2),(3) of the Niger Delta Development Commission  (Establishment, etc) (Amendment) Act  2017.

They are also saying that the appointment of members of the committee is illegal,  unlawful,  and a flagrant abuse of  the afore-mentioned sections of the  Niger Delta Development Commission (Establishment, etc) (Amendment) Act  2017 and Usurpation of the powers of the Board.

Other reliefs being sought by the plaintiffs include determination as to whether the appointment of the NDDC IMC is not an aberration of the constitutionally defined board/management and administrative checks and accountability as set in the Niger Delta Development Commission (Establishment, Etc) (Amendment) Act  2017.

They also want the court to declare that the appointment of the IMC is null and void, being in flagrant abuse of the establishing Act.

In his response: Chief Ayomide observed that the Constitution and Other Laws: by Virtue of Section 1(3) of the 1999 Constitution FRN as amended remain the Supreme Law of the land, and it provisions are superior to any other law. If there is any inconsistency between the provisions of the constitution and any other law, the provision of the other law is void to the extent of the inconsistency. 

Going further, he pointed out the case of Abacha vs Fawehinmi (2000) 6 NWLR  pt 660 at 228. In that case, the court had to determine the position of Decree No. 1 (Constitutional Suspension/Modification Decree), being the grund norm, vis a vis the African Charter on Human and People's Rights, it stated inter alia that The Constitution is superior to any International obligation; also an international obligation does not have any force of law until it is domesticated (I.e enacted into law by the National Assembly) in line with the provision of the Constitution. Therefore, international obligations that have been domesticated has the same status as Federal enactments and thus is inferior to the Constitution.

Chief Ayomide emphasized further that President Mohammed Buhari who directed the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs which the said NDDC is purely under it Ministry supervisions headed by Godswill Akpabio to subsequently inaugurate Interim Management Committee to Oversee the commission during the period of the FORENSIC AUDIT acted inline with section 5(1)(a) by virtue of section 171(1),(2)d is in the right direction valid, lawful, legal and constitutional.

In order to set the record straight and for  a better understanding by stakeholders and members of the general public, the section of the Constitution under reference is hereby reproduced as follows:

171(1) "Power to appoint persons to hold or act in the offices to which this section applies and to remove persons so appointed from any such office shall vest in the President.

(2) The offices to which this section applies are, namely:- 

(a) Secretary to the Government of the Federation;

(b) Head of the Service of the Federation;

(c) Ambassador, High Commissioner or other Principal Representative of Nigeria abroad;

(d) Permanent Secretary in any Ministry "(or Head of any Extra-Ministerial Department") of the Government of the Federation howsoever designated; and

(e) any office on the personal staff of the President..."

Even a layman doesn't need a Services of Legal Assistant to understand Sections 171_2(d) which talks about the offices of which the section applies. This includes:

"""Permanent Secretary in any office or Head of any extra Ministerial Department""", of which the NDDC is one of such Extra Ministerial Department purely under the SUPERVISION OF MINISTRY OF NIGER DELTA AFFAIRS.

“By virtue of the above provisions of the FRNC automatically laid to rest the argument of legality, therefore, INTERIM MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE is Valid, Lawful, legal and Constitutional in the right direction.

See also section 148_(1) of the FRNC states,” The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, may in his discretion assign to the Vice President or any Minister of the Government of the Federation the  Responsibility of any Business of the Federation including the administration of any Department of Government. 

Again in section 7_(3) of the same NDDC Act have this to says:

""“The Commission shall be subject to the direction, control or supervision in the performance of its functions under this act by the President Commander-in- Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria""”.

The President of Nigeria by virtue of the FRNC and the NDDC Act can appoint a Sole Administrator or an Interim Management  Team to preside over the affairs of the NDDC, it is his discretion. It happened in 2016 when Ibim Semenitari was acting NDDC managing director, she was acting alone like a Sole Administrator she was there for over one and a half years.  Even  Prof. Nelson Braimbraifa, the last  Managing Director was a three man Management Committee.

OJOUGBOH CALLS FOR CALM AS NDDC CONTINUES DISTRIBUTION OF PALLIATIVES TO NIGER DELTANS

The Acting Executive Director of Project, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Dr Cairo Ojougboh has called on the Good Poeple of the  NIGER DELTA REGION to remain calm, resolute and strictly adhere to NCDC recommendations and Government's order at all levels by way of preventing the further spread of Covid-19 pandemic

Dr. Ojougboh made this call while addressing Stakeholders during a meeting with the "Palliatives Distributing Committee" of the NIGER DELTA DEVELOPEMENT COMMISSION in a bid  to check their Level of commitment, where he further admonished the committee to ensure the distribution of the Palliatives is done with the strictest of commitment and focus on most vulnerable, Men, Women, Youths and Elders in the Niger Delta States.

Earlier, the NDDC Acting Managing Director, Prof. Kemebradikumo Pondei, during the inauguration of the Commission Palliative Committee in Port Harcourt , has in same vein charged the Committee to be committed and dedicated towards the discharge of her duties and to also indoctrinate fairness during the distribution of the Palliatives package  to avoid bringing shame to the reputation of the new NDDC that have come to stay for the overall Good of Niger Delta Region.

According to Pondei, the distribution of palliatives is  aimed at reducing the  sufferings faced by residents in the Niger Delta Region due to containment measures put in place by Government to halt the spread of COVID-19 pandemi.  It is in this regard, we decided to come up with this palliatives  to reach out to Niger Deltans, especially to the most vulnerable ones in the region; Because we recognize the fact that the lockdown will make life difficult for people most expecially those in the rural areas and communities, He said.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the committee, Mr Soboma Jackrich, in his statement has assured equitable distribution of the palliatives to people including residents in RURAL COMMUNITIES. The  statement, listed food items to be distributed such as: Bags of Garri, Rice, Beans, Palm Oil, Indomie Noodles and Biscuits. Other packages also  included  are: Hand Sanitisers, wheel Chairs, Crutches and Inhalers, among others.

WE HAVE DISTRIBUTED MEDICAL EQUIPMENT TO NIGER DELTA STATES - NDDC BOSS

The Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Prof. Kemebradikumo Pondei, says the Commission distributed sophisticated medical equipment as part of its contributions to the fight against the Corona Virus, COVID-19, pandemic.

Speaking during an audience with the leadership of the Niger Delta Youth Council at the Golden Tulip Hotel, Port Harcourt, Prof Pondei explained that the intervention of the NDDC in response to the COVID-19 pandemic came in three parts; namely: supply of medical equipment, provision of palliatives and public enlightenment.

He stated: “Before the COVID-19 lockdown, we had applied for approval through the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for COVID-19 intervention. The major part of it was medical equipment, then the second part was palliatives (food items) the third part involved publicity.

“Approval was given by the Federal Executive Council, and the approval letter asked us to inform the Federal Bureau of Public Procurement, since it was an emergency. It clearly stated in the letter to expeditiously do that at the end of all this. We have distributed the medical equipment to all the nine states in the Niger Delta region.

“The medical equipment included ventilators, mobile x-ray machines and PCR machines which are the only things that have not been distributed due to the fact that we are trying to work with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC to increase the testing capacity in the Niger Delta region.”

The NDDC Chief Executive Officer said that the NCDC was supposed to calibrate and deploy the 54 PCR machines and mobile x-rays, which, he said were not available in many hospitals in the region.

Pondei stated that the frequent changes of management was effecting the performance of the NDDC, noting that on account of the changes, payment to contractors were often delayed even when they have achieved agreed milestones. “Frequent change of management cannot bring the kind of development we are looking for in the Niger Delta,” he said.

The NDDC boss stated that the Interim Management Committee, IMC, had not awarded any other contracts apart from the ones with Presidential approval, explaining: “What we met was historical debts. The first payments we made for contracts were the ones the National Assembly asked us to pay. And most of these debts were historic debts. We have not done any illegal payments. We have paid people who were owed.”

Pondei conceded that the National Assembly had the constitutional right to investigate the operations of the NDDC. He, however, appealed to the lawmakers to also extend their oversight function to helping the NDDC to get the oil companies to meet their statutory obligations to the Commission.

Addressing the issue of payments for the NDDC Permanent headquarters, Pondei noted that the building was started by the Oil Minerals Producing Areas Development Commission, OMPADEC, and in 2010 the board of the NDDC decided to terminate the contract. To make this possible, N500 million was approved by the Federal Executive Council to buy off the previous contractor.

He explained: “Somewhere along the line in 2016, the board of the Commission under Nsima Ekere, awarded the contract to RODNAP. I can assure you that we did not award any contract to RODNAP. We met them working there, and payments were done even before we came.

“On the issue of certificate of completion, the building is not complete. We have only moved there to fast track the work because we want that building commissioned. The President in his democracy day speech said that the NDDC building will soon be commissioned and to me, it is a charge to go and get that place ready for completion and commissioning.”

THE NDDC FORENSIC AUDIT IS STRATEGICALLY AIMED AT RESTORING THE COMMISSION'S LOST MANDATE ~ DR OJOUGBOH

T

he Executive Director of Project Niger Delta Development Commission and a former Governorship Aspirant of the All Progressive Congress DR CAIRO OJOUGBOH has said the directives of President Mohammadu Buhari led Federal Government to carry out FORENSIC AUDIT in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was not a plot to witch-hunt anybody but to reposition the commission strategically and restore sanity measure to it responsibilities.

In a Vote of Confidence pass on the Interim Management C'ttee by President Mohammadu Buhari in a speech during the Democracy Day, Mr President express satisfaction over the HEAD OFFICE BUILDING of the NIGER DELTA DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION which he said will be commissioned shortly. Going further, he said the funding of sections I–IV of the EAST-WEST ROAD shall be PURSUED with a view to COMPLETING the PROJECT by the end of 2021".

"In his speech hear him he said:, I am DETERMINED to ensure that DEVELOPMENT meant for the people of the NIGER DELTA get to them so I have AUTHORISED a FORENSIC AUDIT of the Niger Delta Development Commission" #President_Mohammadu_Buhari The above assertion were the words of Mr President during his broadcast on Democracy Day

Earlier, President Buhari had on October 2019 ordered the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio to carry out a FORENSIC AUDIT in the commission between 2001 and 2019 alleging that the number of projects executed by the commission were far below it’s homongous budgetary allocations.

Dr CAIRO OJOUGBOH while responding to some burden issue recently disputed the position of some Political Analysts and other Media Commentators had alledged that such directive was a deliberate attempt to hunt some past managerial capacities in the commission.

DR OJOUGBOH reiterated the high commitment of the INTERIM MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE said the FORENSIC AUDIT was to ascertain the huge value of money released into the COMMISSION in recent years.

Speaking futher Dr Ojougboh said It is not correct to say that Mr President, the Honourable Minister for Niger Delta Affairs and Members of the INTERIM MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE are after some selected person's whom may have served in different capacity.

“However, the FORENSIC AUDIT was meant to find value of money for projects and not targeted at individuals. To find out if there were projects awarded but not commenced or completed and how much is remaining to complete it. It was intended to mount pressure on the contractors to complete their projects maintaining the specified standard.

Dr. Ojougboh urged Niger Delta Poeple and members of the opposition not to politicize every issue but to look beyond party lines and bring down the Dividends of Democracy for our great region he noted.

PMB, FG DESERVE COMMENDATION FOR PUTTING A STOP TO THE DAY'S OF CORRUPTIONS IN NDDC, AND NOW IT'S TIME TO GIVE ACCOUNT OF STEWARDSHIP – EX-MILITANT

Niger Delta ex-militant leaders have commended President Muhammadu Buhari for ending “business as usual” in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) by initiating the ongoing FORENSIC AUDIT of the commission’s activities.

The former creek warlords under the auspices of the 21st Century Youths of Niger Delta Agitators with Conscience (21st CYNDAC) said the initiative of Buhari has opened a rare discussion on the corruption ravaging the commission.

The Leader of CYNDAC and self-styled general, Izon Ebi, said for the first time in the history of NDDC, issues surrounding the AUDIT had led to naming and shaming of persons allegedly involved in looting the region’s commonwealth.

Ebi noted that the President took a wise decision when he handed over the supervision of the commission and the AUDIT to the Ministry of the Niger Delta Affairs and the Interim Management Committee of NDDC.

The ex-militant leader observed that the MINISTER and the IMC have made the President proud by refusing to connive with persons with the intentions of mortgaging the commission but instead chose to expose them.

He said: “The 21st CYNDAC applaud Mr President for initiating the forensic audit of the NDDC. For the first time since the creation of the commission, a probe has been initiated to look into the reason why the commission is not delivery on its mandate.

“For the first time, names are being mentioned as those responsible for the sustained rot in the commission. Irrespective of how the FORENSIC AUDIT and the national Assembly’s probe/inquisition goes, one thing is certain, it cannot be BUSINESS as USUAL he noted.

Ebi added: “The commission will never again be a playground for economic vampires. The 21st CYNDAC cannot understand the rationale behind the clamour by some renegade discredited politicians who have never commented on the wanton looting of the commission over the decade coming out with a tar brush to paint the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and the IMC in bad light.

“For years, the NDDC has been the cash cow where discredited politicians use to fund their election, and that is the major reason why being a member of the committee on NDDC is a highly sought after committee in both chambers of the National Assembly

NDDC AND THE NEW REALITIES "OPERATION EXPOSED THEM WITH FORENSIC AUDIT"

A renowned former US "Henry Kissinger" said that the SUCCESS of any GOVERNMENT is its ABILITY to bring about NEW REALITIES.

When President Buhari in his quest for a new beginning, ordered a FORENSIC AUDIT into the activities of NDDC from inception to date, little did Political influencers in the region imagine it would come to fruition.

When he took a further step by directing the MINISTER of Niger Delta Affairs to inaugurate an Interim Management Committee to create enabling environment for the AUDIT, they broke the secure locks of Hades and unleashed ancient DEMONS to invade Television Houses and game newspaper columnists with vile propaganda.

There is nothing as powerful as self-interest of political god fathers in the Niger Delta. The insularity of their high positions has shielded them from the problems of the common man which are basically existential.

They have betrayed the people, shared their COMMONWEALTH generally and particularly in NDDC being an interventionist agency. The time to give account has suddenly arrived like an unforeseen hurricane and they are unprepared.

As it has dawned on them that we now live in a world where our digital foot and fingerprints follow money trails in a very exponential manner, they have gone into panic mode and are openly engaging in reverse logic under many aliases to the consternation of the Nigerian public.

Even their interpretation of events leading to the setting up of the Interim Management Committee has been somewhere on the spectrum from “incomplete” to “inaccurate”.

There is no need reiterating that NDDC under the underhand control of the buccaneer political god fathers was synonymous with heist.

A hawk with a song is a hawk no matter how it pretends to be a songbird. They are just afraid of the consequences of their illegal and ruinous takeover of the Commission; not that they are remorseful nor have they learnt anything.

The Commission have been in their control for over 18yrs nothing meaniful happened, from all indication they are incapable of any good and cannot change any more than a zebra can change its stripes.

They are ANSWERABLE only to the mammon gods of their pockets and must be resisted at all costs. The INTERIM MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE must be allowed to work and the AUDIT must PROCEED as ORDERED by President Mohammadu Buhari.

This AGENCY which suffered from the syndrome of fatal procrastination that sealed its fate and put it on the path of perfidy is now experiencing fresh air of good deeds. We worry that the antics of moochers and men with insatiable greed who drove it to near collapse if left unchecked and unrebuked may slow down this onward march to a new dawn of limitless opportunities. The President should not let it happen.

It’s a thing of joy for us as Niger Delta people that the commission in under the supervision of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs. We challenge the minister and members of the committee not to be undaunted, not to give up or give in because the destinies of millions of our people are in their hands as agents of change.

We cannot afford to make our future look like our past. They must blaze a path that would ultimately illuminate new pathways and they would forever remain in the favour of a grateful region.

Niger Delta Grassroots Development Initiative, write 4rm Ughelli, Delta State, Nigeria....

OJOUGBOH REASSURE COMMITMENT TO FORENSIC AUDIT, SAYS NO GOING BACK ON OUR MISSION TO SANITIZE NDDC

The Executive Director of Project Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) DR CAIRO OJOUGBOH has restated it commitment to ensuring efficient FORENSIC AUDIT of the commission as ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Dr Cairo Ojougboh, who disclosed this at the NDDC Head Quarter in PORTHACOURT recently, said that the committee was poised to stop CORRUPTION and restore SANITY measure to the Commission.

“It will interest you to know that some times ago, Governors of Niger Delta States visited President Buhari to complain that the NDDC had fallen short of what it was intended to be in recent time.

Therefore, they asked the president to look into its affairs again, where one of the Governors said the NDDC has become a CONDUIT for FRAUD and a BLUEPRINT for CHEATING in the Niger Delta.

Based on the complaints from the leaders of the Niger Delta, Mr President instructed that a Forensic Audit be carried out and Interim C'ttee should be set up to look into the management of the NDDC while the operation lasted.

Meanwhile, Dr Ojougboh, had earlier revealed that the NDDC is currently indebted to some “Big Weight” Contractors huge amount of money running into trillions of Naira.

He said one of such contractors was awarded over 300 multi million Naira contracts by the NDDC, out of which 120 of them had been fully paid for even when he had never mobilised to any of the sites.

He alledged that the particular contractor was mobilising thugs in the Niger Delta, especially in Bayelsa and Delta states to instigate the people to prevent the FORENSIC AUDIT.

“If you look at the records at the NDDC, you will cry, some GENUINE People that have done jobs for the Agency have not been paid for over 15 years and their families are suffering. Many of those who were paid are these big Weight Contractors,” Ojougboh said.

#National_Coordinator_Ojougboh_Med

OJOUGBOH REASSURE COMMITMENT TO FORENSIC AUDIT, SAYS NO GOING BACK ON OUR MISSION TO SANITIZE NDDC

The Executive Director of Project Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) DR CAIRO OJOUGBOH has restated it commitment to ensuring efficient FORENSIC AUDIT of the commission as ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Dr Cairo Ojougboh, who disclosed this at the NDDC Head Quarter in PORTHACOURT recently, said that the committee was poised to stop CORRUPTION and restore SANITY measure to the Commission.

“It will interest you to know that some times ago, Governors of Niger Delta States visited President Buhari to complain that the NDDC had fallen short of what it was intended to be in recent time.

Therefore, they asked the president to look into its affairs again, where one of the Governors said the NDDC has become a CONDUIT for FRAUD and a BLUEPRINT for CHEATING in the Niger Delta.

Based on the complaints from the leaders of the Niger Delta, Mr President instructed that a Forensic Audit be carried out and Interim C'ttee should be set up to look into the management of the NDDC while the operation lasted.

Meanwhile, Dr Ojougboh, had earlier revealed that the NDDC is currently indebted to some “Big Weight” Contractors huge amount of money running into trillions of Naira.

He said one of such contractors was awarded over 300 multi million Naira contracts by the NDDC, out of which 120 of them had been fully paid for even when he had never mobilised to any of the sites.

He alledged that the particular contractor was mobilising thugs in the Niger Delta, especially in Bayelsa and Delta states to instigate the people to prevent the FORENSIC AUDIT.

“If you look at the records at the NDDC, you will cry, some GENUINE People that have done jobs for the Agency have not been paid for over 15 years and their families are suffering. Many of those who were paid are these big Weight Contractors,” Ojougboh said.

NDDC FORENSIC AUDIT: NIGERIANS "II BE ASTONISH WHEN THE AUDIT REPORT IS OUT TO UNVEILS HOW SOME FEW PERSON SQUANDERED NDDC FUNDS FOR OVER 19YRS ~ OJOUGBOH

....SAYS THE FEARS OF BEING EXPOSED IS ONE OF THE REASON WHY SABOTEURS ARE SPONSORING ATTACKS AGAINST IMC TO STOP THE NDDC FORENSIC AUDIT

Dr Ojougboh has revealed that CORRUPT Politicians, Contractors, Staffs of the Commission amongst others at large are those afraid of the ongoing NDDC FORENSIC AUDIT for the fears of being exposed of their iniquity committed against the Commission by looting it tried... Dr Ojougboh who spoke on Rise-Tv recently express satisfaction on the progress made so far in course of the auditing, said a lot have been unveils, he noted that Nigerian will be greatly astonished when the AUDIT REPPORT will be ready soon to exposed all CORRUPTION being perpetrated for over 19yrs by past successive board's and their cohorts he said.

#In_the_issues_of_NASS_Probe_over_40billion_allegations

Dr Ojougboh said there was no reckless spending of 40billion, that the Commission is ever ready to be investigated pointed out that such investigation should be on live broadcast by National Tv and Nigerians, and the Leadership of the National Assembly will see how their House Committee Chairman on NDDC and their cohorts are doing harm to the NDDC budget on behalf of the National Assembly... Going further, he said the Interim Management Committee since they came on board have not awarded any ROAD Contract, that the only Contract the Commission awarded recently was the contract to Support Fight against Covid_19 pandemic that have been ravaging the world, and PALLIATIVE SUPPORT to cushions the effect of the pandemic which has brought untold hardship to the Good Poeple of Niger Delta Region, especially to the most vulnerable Men and Women and others at large in the Society. It should be abundantly noted here that the said contract to support the covid_19 pandemic was requested by the Interim Management Committee to Assist the region and same was also approved by the Federal Executive Council, and the items approved were just supplied, only for the Commission to start distribution of the items accordingly which is still ongoing some Group of Poeple who wanted it Business as usual now took to the Media with hired Avatars bloggers to discredit the Interim Management Committee put in place to oversee the Commission. This is greatest injustice to humanity, but the truth is always there to unveils it self anytime the need arises as the record's are going to set preecedence for other incoming board's he said.

He further revealed that one of the major problem why they are after the Interim Management Committee, it's not Business as usual as many of the illegality to siphoned money have been put to stop. He observed that some of this company standing as consulting firm are own directly or indirectly by some top politicians who are in elective position amongst others...

#HOW_PAST_SUCCESSIVE_BOARDS_AND_THEIR_COHORTS_LOOTED_NDDC_TRIED

#Ojougboh__Outline_Facts

 The illegality  happening in the NDDC is quite unfortunate. I will like to begin from when we came in as the Interim Management Committee. When we got to the NDDC, we met a letter from the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio stopping a consultancy arrangement given to two firms. One is star Line Nigeria Limited. Star Line was illegally collecting revenue on behalf of the NDDC for statutory payments and they were earning N1 billion every month. When the minister came in , the company invited the Minister to join the fraud. The Minister said "No", and immediately asked for the stoppage of that consultancy. Another company called Candour went to LNG and claimed they were the ones who initiated statutory payments from LNG. And the company belongs to a serving Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The letter says they collected $28 million and then exchanged it for N360 to a dollar . As at that time the exchange rate was not N360 to $1. The CBN was exchanging for N225 to $1. And at the end of the day ,they asked for 20 percent of the $28million. They were paid . They wanted to continue. Senator Akpabio said "No", this is fraud against Nigeria and hell was let loose. They claimed that this is the money used to work in the National Assembly in Abuja. According to the chairman, if there is any contest in the National Assembly this is where they source the money from. The IMC wrote letters to these contracts and because of that they declared war on the IMC. Let me make this clear. The Hon. Speaker and the President of the Senate are not aware of what the Chairmen of the Committees are doing in the National Assembly. And even members of the committees are not also aware . It is just One man squad.

#Going_Further_Ojougboh_Said:

Between 2016 and 2019 emergency contracts of over N2 trillion were awarded under the supervision of the Chairmen of both committees. And I have the list of how the contracts were distributed. In the list, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Niger Delta collected 1000 of those jobs and said he was going to share it among the senators, but the senators denied knowledge of such files. We have the records . These 1000 contracts were collected by a man called Nelson Agbamuche purportedly on behalf of the Senate. The immediate crises that we are witnessing is as a result of the budget. How did the budget run into problem?. The bureaucracy told us when we came in that in 2016 there was no budget, 2017 there was no budget . 2018 there was no budget. The budget for 2019 was passed some few weeks ago . What led to it? When a Chairman of Senate Committee came in in 2015, he called the bureaucracy of NDDC and told them to insert jobs worth N15 billion for him, they went back and complied. But when the budget was sent to him he said he did not mean N15 billion but N150 billion. The bureaucracy went back but couldn't comply because there was no way they could do that. The Chairman advised them to award the contract as emergency jobs so that they won't go through the due processes. That was how the emergency procedures were breached and the commission presently has liabilities of over N3 trillion. How can this continue?

And that is what the IMC and the Hon. Minister said we have to write in.  It didn't just stop there. The Chairman of the House Committee on Niger Delta came to us and brought out emergency training programme for N6.4 billion and said that he has met the first  milestone and that the commission should pay him N3.7 billion . We said this milestone you are talking about cannot be paid because you have not done it . He said the job belonged to the speaker and we said we cannot pay. We went and met the Speaker and the Speaker said he was not aware of such a thing. This was not in the budget at all. When they passed the 2019 budget, the Chairman, House committee included it and insisted we must pay the money and we said we cannot pay. #INTERIM_MANAGEMENT_COMMITTEE_IS_NOT_KNOWN_FOR_CORRUPTION; They said the IMC has stolen N40 billion, how can that be possible? All the payments we have made on projects were duly verified. I took my time as the Executive Director Projects, to go from State to State to verify the projects and document them. Whenever we are satisfied that you have done jobs that merit payments we will pay you. And we were not paying as they used to pay so the contractors are very angry. Before now, once you have a contract in NDDC, it was like you have won a lottery. A contract in NDDC that was awarded for N700 million will only cost you 20million to complete such project.....

.#Read_Next....

N40BN PALLIATIVE FUNDS: YOU LIED, I DIDN'T REQUEST FOR NDDC PROJECTS, AKPABIO REPLIES NWAOBOSHI

MINISTER of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio has replied the Chairman, Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, (PDP, Delta North), saying accusations that he requested for intervention projects from the later were far from the truth.

Akpabio denied the allegations by Nwaoboshi, on claims that he wrote personal letters to him as Senate Minority Leader, requesting for Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC,  intervention projects in his senatorial district.

The former Senate Minority Leader, through his Chief Press Secretary, Anietie Ekong who dismissed  the allegations and explained, however that the said letters were addressed to the leadership of the Senate, contrary to Nwaoboshi’s claims.

It will be recalled that Nwaoboshi, had at a press briefing last week, presented  some letters allegedly written to him by Akpabio that his projects should be included in the budget of the NDDC.

Akpabio denying the allegations against him, said, “Nwaboshi’s press briefing in which he alleged that I  had written to him as a member of the Committee on Niger Delta to request for NDDC  contracts to the tune of N500 million is false. Nothing could be further from the truth.

“The truth is that the letters he was brandishing were addressed to the leadership of the National Assembly at the time to make recommendations for zonal intervention projects as requested by the leadership.

“On what basis would have Senator Akpabio written to Senator Nwaoboshi to be awarded NDDC contract? Is he the Managing Director of the NDDC? Senator Akpabio never requested for NDDC contracts  from Nwaboshi as he is claiming. He’s lying and no one should take him serious.”

Akpabio said Nwaoboshi should respond to some of the grievous allegations made against him by the IMC of NDDC, that he wrecked the commission’s budget apart for his personal benefits.

He said, “We understand that people are getting hysterical because of the ongoing FORENSIC AUDIT because of what had happened in the past. Making spurious allegations against Akpabio cannot stop the probe.

“Rather than seek for straws to cling on, Nwaoboshi should address the grievous allegations of the NDDC that he mindlessly wrecked the NDDC budget for his personal benefits, a practice he has being perpetrated over the years and throwing the commission into near insolvency which the present management is trying to clean up.

“With the present IMC led by Prof Keme Pondei and the NDDC under the supervision of Senator Akpabio as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, it can no longer be business as usual as the wanton rape of the Niger Delta region must stop.”

The mess up in NDDC is a shame to the region that contributed so much to the centre with nothing to show, other than few individuals hijacking our monies meant for development to their personal purse. This trend must stop. Akpabio, must ensure that the FORENSIC AUDIT sees the light of the day with these big thieves punish and the looted funds recovered for the overall development of the region.

DR E K CLARK WRITES OPEN LETTER TO SENATE PRESIDENT, REPS SPEAKER

By Chief (Dr.) E. K. Clark, OFR, CON

The happenings in the NDDC, since the dissolution of the Oil Minerals Producing Areas Development Commission (OMPADEC) by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Bill over 20 years ago for which I was very much involved, have been of great concern to all of us in the region, having regard to the amount of money sunk into the Commission by the Federal Government (FG), but there is nothing to show for it. The NDDC is an intervention agency brought about to salvage the people of the Niger Delta Region, but this purpose has completely been defeated. And that is why as a leader and major stakeholder, I have to speak out openly.

As leaders, elders and youths of the Niger Delta region, most of us fought for the establishment of the Niger Delta Development Commission, risking our life and all that is dear to us; for these persons to blatantly rob the people of the Niger Delta, if these allegations against them are true, is murderous. Those, whose blood was shed, fighting for the development of the region, would be rolling in their grave. To show how much I have been involved in this cause right from inception, I reproduce here an excerpt of a Communiqué we issued at the end of one of the several meetings we held in the course of the struggle for the development of the region:

“COMMUNIQUE OF THE ONE-DAY MEETING OF THE SOUTH-SOUTH PEOPLES CONFERENCE (SSOPEC) HELD AT THE PETROLEUM TRAINING INSTITUTE (PTI), EFFURUN, WARRI, DELTA STATE ON THE 9TH OF OCTOBER, 1999

                                                                      The meeting which was held to hear the Report of the 13-man SSOPEC Delegation to Abuja in August to meet with Mr. President, Chief OlusegunObasanjo, GCFR, and members of the National Assembly concerning amendments to the Presidential Bill on the establishment of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC ); and to propose further amendments necessary to protect the interest of the Niger Delta people was presided over by the SSOPEC Chairman, HRH Pere (Dr.) H. J. R. Dappa-Biriye; and supported by the Deputy Chairman of SSOPEC, Chief E. K. Clark.

The meeting also registered the attendance of His Excellency, Obong Victor Attah, Executive Governor of Akwa-Ibom State, Government representatives of the South-South States, Traditional Rulers and Chiefs, Opinion Leaders, Women Groups, Youths and Non-Governmental Organisations.

SUMMARY OF RESOLITIONS:

Having heard the Report of the SSOPEC Delegation to Abuja and inputs made by Conferees, the following resolutions were taken:

That in Nigeria our governments are cognate in power-sharing. Therefore, the coastal States in the Niger Delta Development Commission are entitled to two hundred (200) nautical miles into the sea as part of their areas for working out their dues. Beyond this point and up-to some three hundred and sixty (360) nautical miles Nigeria’s Federal Government and the International Community can combine to reap the resources of the sea. These are prescriptions of modern laws of the sea approved by the United Nations. It is necessary that these features be spelt out in our Niger Delta Development Act for endorsement by our National and State Assemblies;

SSOPEC supports the youths’ attitude towards the issue of Oil and Gas Companies operating in the zone to have their headquarters within the States in which they operate. The Federal Government should extend its objective policy of relocating corporations, firms and establishments to areas where they should be properly sited especially in the South-South which is at present the haven and bowel of Nigeria’s Oil and Gas resources; SSOPEC noted that the recent crises in the NLNG, Bonny and NNPC, Port Harcourt would have been averted if the headquarters of these companies are sited in the right locations; and that this policy will mitigate the restiveness of the youths in the Niger Delta….;

 

That SSOPEC supports the idea of having the headquarters of the NDDC in Port Harcourt where land is available for the projects as indicated in a diagram brought to the meeting by the SSOPEC Chairman; and that branch offices must be created for each Member State of the Commission;

That if OMPADEC is to be scrapped as mooted in the NDDC Bill, then the NDDC must have the political goodwill and adequate funding to address the problems of poverty, neglect and backwardness in the Niger Delta; and that like the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), debts owed OMPADEC Contractors must be paid by the Federal Government to reduce the financial burden of the NDDC and to allow for a better focus on the management of new project priorities;

That SSOPEC should organize a Youth Conference to properly articulate and synchronize the position of the youths and elders in the South-South zone in order to ensure peace, unity and progress in the Niger Delta.

…. Finally, that SSOPEC Delegation with a mandate to lobby for the inclusion of the protective clauses for the Niger Delta in terms of structure, scope of functions and finding should be commissioned immediately to leave for Abuja.

Signed

HRH PERE (DR.) HAROLD J. R. DAPPA-BIRIYE (OON; JP)

Chairman, SSOPEC”

The leadership of the two Committees on Niger Delta Affairs both in the Upper and Lower Legislative Chambers has been accused by previous Managements of the NDDC, but they (the previous Managements) did not have the courage to speak out.

Part of the current Acting Managing Director of the Commission, Prof.Pondei’s statement as contained at pages 25 and 26 of the Vanguard Newspaper of Saturday, May 30, 2020, said “We have faced so much pressure from some members of the National Assembly not to send certain files to the FORENSIC AUDITORS…. We have refused to pay out ₦6.4 bn for the 132 jobs which have no proof of execution…. The 2019 budget was passed two months to the end of its implementation period. In fact, the hard copy was received by the Commission on April 10, 2020 when the implementation period ends in May 31…. Two, the budgets are bastardised by the National Assembly in a way that renders it all useless. A case will suffice. In the 2019 budget, we had a provision of ₦1.32 bn to pay our counterpart funding to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) for the $129.7m Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises Programme in the Niger Delta (LIFE-ND). The National Assembly cut the provision to ₦100 million. Are we going to IFAD, a United Nations agency, to tell them to bring their $129.7m when our National Assembly says we can only pay ₦100 million out of ₦1.32 billion obligationthe National Assembly members insert items we have no plans for these items are then forced on the Commission when it is not part of its master plan…. While acknowledging that the National Assembly reserved the right to probe the NDDC…. We suspect that the probe being trumpeted by the National Assembly is not for altruistic reason but an attempt by some members to arm-twist the IMC”.

The Acting Executive Director, Project (AEDP), of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Cairo Ojougboh on his part, talked of how some members of the National Assembly (NASS), including the Senate Committee Chairman on Niger Delta Affairs, and the House Committee Chairman on Niger Delta Affairs, are openly and flagrantly committing fraud. The facts the AEDP laid bare are very incriminating of these members of the NASS if proven. He said “…. Another company called Candour went to LNG and claimed they were the ones who initiated statutory payments from LNG. And the company belongs to a serving Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The letter says they collected $28 million and then exchanged it for₦360 to a dollar. As at that time the exchange rate was not ₦360 to $1. The CBN was exchanging for ₦225 to $1. And at the end of the day, they asked for 20% of the $28 million. They were paid. They wanted to continue. Senator Akpabio said “no”, that this is fraud against Nigeria and hell was let loose. They claimed that this is the money used to work in the National Assembly in Abuja. According to the Chairman, if there is any contest in the National Assembly, this is where they source the money from. The IMC wrote letters to these contractors and because of that they declared war on the IMC”.

The AEDP stated that a sitting Senator, in 2018, got a contract for the supply of plastic chairs and tables to Secondary Schools in the Niger Delta region for the sum of ₦3.7 billion. These plastic chairs and tables were also released to the custody of the same supplier/contractor. It is even more absurd because my findings reveal that this was an extra budgetary expenditure as it was not contained nor provided for, in the 2018 Budget of the Commission. How can such sum be spent on the purchase of plastic chairs and tables, in a region that is so greatly impoverished and devastated? This is outrageous.

The AEDP also alleged that one thousand jobs which were not contained in the Budget when it was submitted to the NASS were added to the Budget of the Commission byboth the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs and the House Committee Chairman on Niger Delta Affairs, and it was discovered that neither the Senate President nor most other Senators knew of these jobs, same for the Speaker of the House of Representatives and most members of the House. Here is what he said “Let me make it clear, the Hon. Speaker and the President of the Senate are not aware of what the Chairmen of the Committees are doing in the National Assembly. And even members of the Committee are not also aware. It is just one-man squad. Between 2016 and 2019 emergency contracts of over ₦2 trillion were awarded under the supervision of the Chairmen of both Committees. And I have the list of how the contracts were distributed. In the list the Chairman, Senate Committee on Niger Delta collected one thousand of those jobs and said he was going to share it among the Senators, but the Senators denied knowledge of such files. We have the records”. He also talked about some contractors collecting as much ₦1 billion every month as charges for collecting statutory revenues from oil companies. As a matter of fact the allegations are legion and scandalous.

The AEDP even alleged that no action has been taken on the 2020 Budget of the Commission which was submitted to the NASS, because “they are asking for all sorts of things”.He said “How did the budget run into problems? The bureaucracy told us when we came in that in 2016, there was no budget. 2017, there was no budget. 2018, there was no budget. The budget for 2019 was passed some few weeks ago. What led to it? When a Chairman of Senate Committee came in 2015, he called the bureaucracy of NDDC and told them to insert jobs worth ₦15 billion for him. They went back and complied. But when the budget was sent to him, he said he did not mean ₦15 billion, but ₦150 billion. The bureaucracy went back but could not comply because there was no way they could do that. The Chairman advised them to award the jobs as emergency jobs so that they won’t go through due processes. That was how the emergency procedures were breached and the Commission presently has liabilities of over ₦3 trillion…. The Chairman of the House Committee on Niger Delta came to us and brought out emergency training programme for ₦6.4 billion and said that the Commission should pay him ₦3.7 billion. We said this milestone you are talking about cannot be paid because you have not done it. He said the job belongs to the Speaker and we said we cannot pay. We went and met the Speaker and the Speaker said he was not aware of such thing. This was not in the budget at all. When they passed the 2019 Budget, the Chairman, House Committee included it and insisted we must pay the money and we said we cannot pay. They said the IMC has stolen ₦40 billion. How can that be possible?”

But in the face of all these allegations which the Acting Managing Director and the  Acting EDP have leveled and backed up with facts and documents, the House Committee on Niger Delta Affairs is bent on carrying out an investigation into the activities of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the Commission.

In statements credited to the Chairmen on Niger Delta Affairs in both the upper and lower legislative Chambers, they have denied all the allegations.

The AEDP in his interview, has exonerated both of you, the Senate President and the Speaker of the House, that you are not aware of these activities of the Senate Committee Chairman on Niger Delta Affairs and the House Committee Chairman on Niger Delta Affairs. This is good to hear. One is not against the NASS performing its oversight functions; at the same time, there is need for it to investigate these scandalous allegations. And in doing so, equity and justice should prevail; both the Senate Committee Chairman and the House Committee Chairman of the Niger Delta Affairs should step aside, because as it is said, they cannot be judges in their own matter.

The allegations made against both Chairmen are too weighty that they cannot be swept under the carpet. Their off the cuff statement or explanations are not enough at all. A new investigative panel should be constituted to investigate both the IMC and these members of NASS.

Issues of corruption in the NDDC have become endemic. It was as a result of these complaints, that Mr. President, promptly and courageously appointed the IMC, to supervise the Forensic Audit which he had also set up, to investigate all the alleged corrupt practices that had been perpetuated in the Commission, before a Board will be inaugurated for the Commission. Any attempt to distract from Mr. President’s directive that forensic audit of the NDDC should be carried out, is unacceptable to the people of the Niger Delta. We are solidly behind Mr. President in this his directive.

For some time now, Niger Delta leaders led by me have unfortunately failed to condemn these few corrupt members in the NASS, who have converted and are still converting the NDDC into their personal farm yard. That is why there is always scramble and manipulations to be Chairmen and members of this “juicy committee”.

The oil in the Niger Delta was deposited there by God Almighty knowing the type of difficulty and swampy terrain He has put us in. Therefore, for the proceeds of these resources to be fraudulently taken by people who want to egocentrically enrich themselves, is unacceptable and will be resisted. This has gone on for too long and has to stop.

I want to place on record that had God in His infinite mercy and wisdom not endowed the region with such resources, it would have been difficult for any government to remember us. Even with the resources, we have to agitate to get development when the Colonial Government set up the Willink Commission of Inquiry in 1957 to look into the issues of our utter neglect. It was this Commission that designated the place a Special Area for development.

We will no longer tolerate this criminal exploitation of our resources.

Therefore, Mr. Senate President, and the Right Honourable Speaker, if nothing is done, and urgently too, to investigate these grievous allegations leveled against these members and by extension the National Assembly, I must say that it will erode the confidence people, especially, Niger Deltans, have on the National Assembly.

Thank you.

Chief (Dr.) E. K. Clark, OFR, CON

Leader, South-South