Politics
Group defends NDDC’s mgt of N40bn fraud
A non-governmental organisation, NGO, Citizens Quest for Truth Initiative, CQTI, has debunked the claim of N40billion scam levelled against the Interim Management Committee, IMC of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.
Its President, Obiaruko Christie Ndukwe, at a media briefing over the weekend in Abuja, declared that the current IMC of the commission is far more transparent in its operations, than to be accused of squandering any N40billion.
She explained that CQTI is an NGO concerned with development of the Niger Delta region through close monitoring of activities of intervention bodies such as the NDDC, and has discovered that the Professor Kemebradikumo Pondei-led IMC is not corrupt as being painted by those according to her, “wanted operations of the commission to be business as usual.”
“The Citizens Quest for Truth Initiative under my leadership have been monitoring the operational activities of the NDDC over the years as regards the core mandate given to the commission.
“I make bold to declare here that of all the management teams we have interacted with so far and assessed their activities on the field, the current IMC stands out in terms of accessibility to the people and communities in the area as well as transparency in contracts awards and executions.
“All the hues and cries being made by some vested groups against the current IMC, are driven by nothing but fear of being cut off from their yearly loots.
“Rather than trying to pull down the incumbent management of the commission, they should by now, be running from pillar to post on how to escape from shame awaiting them from reports of the ongoing forensic auditing ordered by President Muhamnadu Buhari,” she said.
Ndukwe added that it was a lie from the pit of hell for anybody to allege that the Pondei-led IMC is working for the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio and not the people of Niger Delta region.
She said: “During the two-day investigative hearing, none of the accusers and their cronies, could substantiate any allegations to that effect.
“In fact, the public hearing exposed the hollowness of all allegations levelled against Akpabio and the Pondei-led IMC and it is expected that they will allow peace to reign now in the commission and required development to start taking place in the Niger Delta region.”
It would be recalled that a two-day public hearing was conducted last week by the Senate’s ad-hoc committee investigating the alleged financial fraud by the IMC.
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