Senate Probes NDDC Over Alleged N100bn Contracts Scam

The Senate has summoned the management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) over alleged contracts scam put at N100billion.
Senator Matthew Urhoghide, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Edo State led Senate Committee on Public Accounts that is probing the NDDC, said that it would personalise any refund that would be traceable to an individual during the Investigative hearing.
Speaking on the development, Senator Urhoghide lamented that it is painful that over N100billion was spent on contracts by the NDDC without justification for the spending.
The Senate committee is relying on special periodic checks on the activities and programmes of NDDC for the period January 1, 2013 to June 30, 2018.
Speaking during a meeting of committee, Urhoghide, who disclosed that the committee has invited the NDDC to come and appear before it last Wednesday, said, “We have invited NDDC to come, they don’t have records of financial transaction. They will appear before us on Wednesday.
“They have 47 queries and we are going at it. The issue is from 1 to 47 and we are going to personalize any refund. It is painful that N100billion were spent without justification for it.
“We equally invite them for status enquiry on all revenue into their accounts. We are waiting for the NDDC, if they don’t come, we will take necessary action against them.”
Some of the queries read, “it was observed that so many contractors were paid mobilization fee to enable them to commence the execution of the projects awarded to them.
“Contrary to the terms and agreement some of the contractor’s bolter away after collection of the mobilization fees.
“The surprising aspect of it was that this practice involved 626 contractors in which the sum of N61.4billion was lost to fraudulent practices.
“Irregularities in the execution of a contract awarded for the construction of Gbaregolor- Gbekbot-Ogulagha road phase worth N16.1billion.”