Skip to main content

We won’t be distracted, list of more defaulting contractors coming – NDDC

Prof. Kemebradikumo Pondei, acting Managing Director, NDDC


The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has said it would soon release another list of defaulting high profile contractors.

It said the list in circulation was just that of 2018, saying that the list of 2019 had not been released yet and that when it is released, people would be shocked.

Acting Executive Director, Projects, NDDC, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh Ojougboh stated that change had come to the NDDC and that “things will never remain the same again.”

According to him, “President Muhammadu Buhari worked for the change in NDDC “and even when we leave here, other people coming in would be more careful.

“As for the list of contractors we published, that was for 2018 alone. By the time we publish that of 2019, a lot of things will come out to the open.

“Some persons claim they did not benefit from NDDC but we have documents linking them to those contracts. The forensic audit is unearthing a lot of things, 2016, 2017 and 2019 list are ready. But we have decided we would not be distracted again.”

He also said the Interim Management Committee, IMC, had saved N35 billion for the Commission after its verified payments to contractors.

Speaking to newsmen shortly after the inauguration of the Committee for the completion and commissioning of NDDC’s 13-floor new permanent headquarters at the Eastern By-Pass, Port Harcourt, Ojougboh said that the Commission had also verified payments for N1.5 trillion for other projects.

Ojougbo, who is the Chairman of the committee, affirmed that work on the office complex was at 98 per cent completion.

He said: “As you can see, the lifts and escalators are working, the lights and the central air conditioners are functioning. You have seen the external works, so I want to tell you that what is left is the ancillary building, the windows are already in place. You have also seen the asphalts, so we are good to go.

“Nobody believed that it was possible to achieve what we have achieved. There were lots of booby-traps which made it impossible for this building to be ready before now. But we thank God for the successes we have recorded.”

He lamented that the NDDC budget for 2019 was distorted to the detriment of regional projects, citing the example of regional hospital projects that were starved of funds.

“We made provision for hospitals in all Niger Delta states as our regional projects but it was removed and replaced with supply of chairs to schools in the region,” he said.

Ojougboh said that the NDDC had written letters to the National Assembly to explain why N11.6 billion budgeted for the completion of hospitals was removed and replaced with supply of chairs and desks.

He asked: “Is that what we deserve in Niger Delta?”

Credit-PMnews

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Man remanded for allegedly defiling minor

                                                  An Ado-Ekiti Magistrates’ Court yesterday remanded a 33-year-old man, Uchenna Igbwe, in prison custody, for alleged defilement of a minor. Magistrate Omolola Akosile did not take the plea of the accused, as there was no legal representative to stand for him. She referred the matter to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice, and adjourned the case till July 2 for mention. The accused, whose address was not provided, is standing trial on a one-count charge of child defilement. Prosecutor Monica Ikebuilo told the court the accused committed the offence on May 14 in Ado-Ekiti. She alleged the accused lured the four-year-old girl and defiled her. Ikebuilo said the offe...
Post a Comment
Read more

Gunmen kidnap Cross River Senator's personal assistant, demand N10 Million ransom

                                                       Unknown gunmen have kidnapped Mr Umera Umera, the Personal Assistant to Senator Gershom Bassey, Senator representing Cross River State Southern Senatorial District. It was gathered that the incident occurred in Umera's home at Jebbs area of Calabar South,  on Thursday night. According to reports, the gunmen invaded the area, shooting sporadically before abducting the senator’s PA into a speed boat through Anantigha water side. The gunmen are demanding a ransom of N10 million before Umera can be released. Speaking to journalists,  Senator Bassey assured that Mr Umera would be rescued from the kidnappers.
Post a Comment
Read more

Delta State traditional ruler, Chief Newton Agbofodo sentenced to death

                      Chief Newton Agbofodo, the embattled community head of Ekpan, Uvwie Council Area of Delta State, has been sentenced to death. He's one of the highest ranking chiefs of Uvwie Kingdom. He was arrested on June 17, 2016, and was later arraigned in court for crimes bordering on murder. He  was sentenced by the Delta State High Court 4, in Asaba, after being found guilty of all four count charges  preferred against him. He was sentenced to death by hanging.?. Charges preferred against him were conspiracy to commit murder, the substantial offence of murder, conspiracy to commit attempted murder and an attempted murder. According to reports, he was alleged to have been linked to series of killings within Ekpan and its environs, including the murder of one Edigbe Ikpesa sometime in Oc­tober 2012. He was also implicated in the Delta Mall robbery/wanton de­struction in January, 2016.
Post a Comment
Read more