No N40b fraud in NDDC under my watch,  Akpabio replies NASS

Former Akwa- Ibom state governor and Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has dismissed as the spurious,  allegation that the intervention agency under his watch has mismanaged the sum of N40billion in two months.

The Senate on Tuesday set up an ad-hoc committee with Senator representing  Ekiti North, Olubunmi Adetunbi,  as chairman to investigate the NDDC,  sequel to a motion moved by Senator representing  Rivers East senatorial district, Thompson George Sekibo who alleged reckless spending on the part of the NDDC Interim  Management Committee.

In the same vein, the House of Representatives passed a resolution asking Senator Akpabio and the IMC of the NDDC to appear before it to defend an allegation of irregular expenditure,  sequel to a motion moved by Honourable Peter Akpatason.

Senator Akpabio in a statement signed by his media aide,  Anietie Ekong said the allegation was part of a coordinated plot by those smarting to discredit the Interim Management Committee of the NDDC.

The Minister argued that since the assumption of office of the IMC,  it has only approved N18billion as contractual claims, which he noted were  “all payments for contracts awarded by previous administrations, especially the payment for contracts below N50 million.”

Senator Akpabio said the only capital projects being executed by the NDDC management was the completion of its headquarter whose contract was awarded and approved by the Federal Executive Council before he became a Minister.

The former governor of Akwa Ibom said the probe of the intervention agency was welcome as it would “expose those who have used their exalted positions over the years to fleece the NDDC through fully paid contracts which were never executed and other forms of contact racketeering.”

The statement reads in part:” The attention of the Honourable Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio has been drawn to sensational headlines about an alleged N40 billion corruption in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) We wish to state categorically that under the supervision of Senator Akpabio, there has been no corruption in the NDDC.

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“It is obvious that there has been an upsurge in attacks on the Commission, the Interim Management Committee and the Honourable Minister through spurious and unsubstantiated allegations since the commencement of a forensic audit of the Commission. Unfortunately, these phantom allegations have found their ways into the hallowed chambers of the National Assembly.

“In response to the campaign of calumny, the Commission had explained that the Interim Management Committee has only approved the total payment of Eighteen Billion Naira (N18, 000,000, 000) for contractual claims. The payments to contractors are all payments for contracts awarded by previous administrations, especially the payment for contracts below N50 million. The present management has not awarded any single contract. So where is the bogey N40 billion coming from?

“It is instructive that the Commission under the supervision of Senator Akpabio has devised a strategy by which only duly verified and inspected contracts with photo and video evidence are recommended and approved for payments. The Interim Management Committee has been very prudent in managing the affairs of the interventionist agency.

“The interest of Senator Akpabio has been to ensure that the NDDC completes its headquarters building started since the days of the defunct Oil Minerals Producing Areas Development Commission (OMPADEC), the contract of which was awarded the approval of the Federal Executive Council many years before Senator Akpabio became the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.

“Following the recent Presidential approval, the NDDC is also providing intervention support to complement efforts of the Federal and State governments against further spread of COVID-19 in the nine states of the Niger Delta.

“Senator Akpabio is upbeat about the plan to probe the NDDC as he has no skeleton in his cupboard. In fact, he will welcome a public hearing beamed live for all Nigerians to see. The probe of the Commission along with the ongoing forensic audit will expose those who have used their exalted positions over the years to fleece the NDDC through fully paid contracts which were never executed and other forms of contact racketeering.

“While we await the probe if carried through, we find it extremely insulting for Senator Akpabio’s name to be dragged into what is obviously a smear campaign.

“The general public should not be misled by spurious claims. The NDDC under the supervision of Senator Akpabio will not be distracted, neither will the ongoing forensic audit of the Commission be derailed through blackmail and intimidation. The Minister will remain focused on the mandate of President Muhammadu Buhari to reposition the Commission for sustainable development of the Niger Delta region.”

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