Group petitions President Buhari, alleges middlesomesness, corruption in NDDC

YENAGOA– A group styled Global Forum for Accountability and Transparency, has written to President Muhammad Buhari over what they described as alleged level of corruption in the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC, alleging that there was palpable tension in the region as a result of the middlesomeness of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio in the affairs of the NDDC.

In a statement in Yenagoa, yesterday by the group’s Head of Media and Publicity Mr. Joseph Tamara, listed several alleged phony contracts by the NDDC Interim Management Committee IMC awarded to cronies of top shots of the Niger Delta ministry.

They called on the President to investigate the various companies used in awarding the various contracts in alleging that the companies are alleged to belong to one individual and acting as a front for a top official in the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.

He said: “Now Mr. President when you ordered the forensic audit on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) you where yielding to the cries of majority of the people of the region as the commission was beginning to operate like a cult. Our fear is that from one extreme, that it appears as if the commission has gone into another extreme with the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs appearing to become a Sole Administrator over the agency over the affairs of the agency including finances and contracts processes.

“It is now being said that those who oppose Akpabio’s overbearing influence over the present management are being said to be opposed to the forensic audit.
Certainly not, Mr. President.

“No, it is not, we wholeheartedly welcome the forensic audit, in fact some of us have been calling for the probe of the NDDC long before you took office in 2015 and with deluge of petitions to the EFCC in the past and presently with no attendant reciprocity that would have clean the Augean stable.

“However, our fear is that the level of corruption in the commission which we campaigned against regrettably has not lessened even under the present dispensation.

Mr. President never have we seen a stench coming out of the NDDC so repugnant you may feel like taking a shower to clean off the stench from the profanity and misconduct on display at the moment.

“The gist in town is that Akpabio’s obsession with NDDC is not unconnected with what some allege as his 2023 presidential ambition. While we are not oblivious of his inalienable right to aspire to the highest office in the land, the NDDC and the Niger Delta people should not be used as a springboard on which to actualize his ambition.

“Of particular reference Mr President, we wish to draw your attention to the award of contracts on emergency basis and the so called De- silting contracts and contracts for the supply of Maternal delivery Kits, Lassa fever and Covid-19 PPE and medical equipment.

“We are aware that award letters are not issued as contracts are awarded just with a memo and payment would have been effected to front companies owned by cronies of the top shots in the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs in Abuja.

“We believe the mandate of the IMC is to undertake and see through the forensic audit. But that is not the case now as the IMC is engaged in the award and payment of contract for questionable reasons.

“To corroborate our position of the allegations against the commission the Executive Director Project, Dr. Cairo Ojuogboh claimed on National Television on Sunday the 20th of April, 2020 that the IMC has not awarded any contract nor have they made payment to any company for contract.

“However, his claim flies in the face of documents in our possession.We are aware that Osmoserve Global Ltd was awarded a contract for “Intelligence Gathering / Management and Mitigation of crisis in the Niger Delta” for three Billion Naira in 2014 and the EFCC was petitioned.

“Mr. President should please use his offices to investigate if it’s true that Signora Concept Ltd, Remes Ltd, Pearl clinics and maternity ltd, Pearl Medical Support Services, all belonging to one individual and acting as a front for a top official in the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.

“Mr. President please also find out how PDH GLobal Logistics Ltd, Grapik Ltd, Rodnab Construction Ltd. amongst others too numerous to mention are beneficiaries of the houmogous amounts paid out by the IMC on the directive of a top MNDA official.

The probing question we ask is why is it that all contracts in the NDDC are now referred to as ” emergency?”

“What is the emergency in these contracts. This is the new normal in the NDDC deliberately employed to circumvent the procurement process..and the patrons in Abuja have upped the ante in this regard paying many emergency contracts that have not even been verified.

“We have it on good authority that all payments made in the last three weeks are for emergency contracts.

This is despite the advice of the Executive Director (Finance and Administration) against paying for emergency jobs but the gist is that the top shot in the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs overruled him.

“Victimization /Mandatory Leave; The NDDC just issued mandatory leave letters to some directors deemed to be uncompromising with instructions that clearly goes against professional ethics. The forced leave is pure victimization, unfair and unjust treatment by the IMC at the direction of the Ministry.

“Instilling fear and intimidation and discriminatory implementation of presidential directive is the system that has been employed to ensure that the Ministry under Akpabio has its way on all issues.

“The staff that have been sent on compulsory leave were alleged to have leaked sensitive documents to the public and media. If we may ask, why hide transactions of a public institution if processes are transparently executed? Why afraid of leaks when tendering process in all MDA’s are conducted in public and contracts award and payment for contracts executed are open?
Mr. President the NDDC is hemorrhaging under the supervision of Mr. Akpabio like never before. The worst is what we are seeing.

“There is palpable tension in the region as a result of the Akpabio middlesomeness in the affairs of the NDDC when in actual terms the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs is as guilty as the NDDC. Since the inception of the MNDA there is no one major project that can be showcased as a legacy project in the region yet Mr. Akpabio keeps gallivanting all over NDDC.

“We warn that this matter may have reached the climax and should not be allowed to continue further as you do not have the luxury of time before things will begin to degenerate in the region. The unrest that will be the fallout will impact adversely on the already precarious financial state of the country.

“Mr. President you are a man of candor, selflessness and character. We ask is it wrong to have come from the lowest rung of the ladder in society? There are countless people who have completed their contracts so many years ago some over ten years without payment.

“Therefore it has become imperative for the Hon. Minister to be relieved of his office and the sooner that happens the better for the region and the country.

“Finally, Mr. President, It’s on record that the Ondo State Government rejected the Lassa Fever kits sent by NDDC because the kits were found to have expired.

Within the verification exercise period about N4Bn was paid out to suppliers of Lassa Fever kits. The verification exercise was announced January 20th 2020 while selected companies and contracts which happen to be Lassa Fever contracts were hurriedly paid before the verification commenced on January 22nd, 2020.

“We have it on good authority that these selected companies would not have passed the verification.

All contracts on Covid-19 , Maternal kit and Lassa Fever awarded is put at N16Bn while the president’s approval is N6BN? These are issues for you to look at Mr. President Sir.”

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