“Spurious & Unsubstantiated” Akpabio Speaks On Ordered Probe Of Alleged N40Billion Fraud In NDDC

Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio has spoken about the ordered probe of an alleged N40billion fraud at the Niger Delta Development Commission.

Akpabio In a statement released by spokesperson Anietie Ekong stated 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 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 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 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 make sure 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 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.”