The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill
Akpabio has denied allegation of N40 billion fraud in the Niger Delta
Development Commission (NDDC), an agency supervised by his ministry.
Reacting in a statement made available to journalists in
Abuja on Friday, by Anietie Ekong, Chief Press Secretary to the Minister, he
insisted that there was no corruption in the agency.
He considered the prompting of Senators to investigate the
allegation as an attack on the Interim Management Committee (IMC) set up by
President Muhammadu Buhari to manage NDDC’s affairs.
Blowing hot, the minister described as unfortunate that such
Phantom allegation could be discussed on the floor of Nigerian Senate.
The statement said: “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.
“It is obvious that there have 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
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 evidences 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 with 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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