Residents of Onuebum Community of Ogbia council area of Bayelsa State have raised an alarm over what they alleged were fake award and execution of incomplete contracts in the community.
The Tide reports that trouble started in about the year 2012-2014 when the interventionist agency was reported to have commenced a contract for shore protection, land reclamation and construction of no fewer than three landing jetties in the riverine Community.
Speaking with The Tide, on a facts finding tour to the community, chairman, council of Chiefs, High Chief Jubilee Moses alleged that upon the abandonment of the contracts by the NDDC contracting firm(name withheld) the community through a delegation sometime early March,2020 to the NDDC’s headquarters in Port Harcourt were informed upon their arrival by the management of the Commission that the commission have not seen any documents bearing the name of such a contract awarded to the community.
He said the sudden disappearance of contractual documents for the abandoned project may not be unconnected to attempts by retrogressive elements in the Commission to beat investigations on the ongoing forensic audit of the funds and contracts awarded by the commission.
“Up till now, as a Community we’ve not known the cost of this contract which have turned out to be fake. So in March 2020 we’re in the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt to plead and remind them of the need to complete this projects, but surprisingly we’re informed that there were no documents containing the award of such projects in the community by the management of the commission.
“If you go round this Community you’ll see other abandoned NDDC contracts: a mini stadium, one kilometer road where only about 75 kilometers have been executed, dysfunctional solar powered lights, etc.”, he said.
“For these projects, we don’t know, but maybe it was because the contractors have not been properly settled and paid, but for the completely abandoned shore protection contract, jetties and reclamation projects, we can inform you authoritatively that the NDDC told us they don’t have and can’t find any documents bearing the award of such contracts to Onuebum Community. Quote me anywhere.
“There was even a time we had to also meet the contractor for the abandoned project and I tell you we felt even sorry for him. The same thing the NDDC told us was what the contractor said; ‘NDDC say they can’t find the papers for my contract’ so even the contractor’s pay is hanging in the NDDC.
“We’re beginning to suspect that maybe the NDDC have burnt off the papers for this contract. The audit report shouldn’t be treated with bias”, he added.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa