A civil society group, Transparency and Accountability Initiative, has said that the ongoing National Assembly’s investigations into the activities of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) will deepen transparency and build confidence of the public on the regional intervention agency.
NDDC has been plagued with allegations of corruption over the years, with no complimentary projects to justify the massive investments by successive governments.
The Senate’s ad-hoc committee constituted to probe the alleged financial recklessness by the commission’s Interim Management Committee (IMC) to the tune of N40 billion was inaugurated last Tuesday.
The Committee is chaired by Senator Olubunmi Adetunbi (APC Ekiti North)
The group’s national coordinator, Ambassador Ahmad Sule, in a statement, alleged that persistent efforts by some politicians to scuttle the ongoing probe is a direct affront on the provisions of section 88 (1) of Nigerian Constitution (as amended) which confers the National Assembly with oversight powers.
It therefore urged the committee to remain strong, committed and resolute and not to give in to blackmail and tricks of the evil masterminds.
Meanwhile, youths under the aegis of APC Youth Alliance (AYA) have called on Niger Deltans to support Sen. Godswill Akpabio and the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the NDDC in the fight to clean up the commission.
The AYA National Coordinator, Comrade Ugboma Stephen, in a statement , thanked President Buhari for extending the tenure of the NDDC IMC being led by Professor Keme Pondei under supervision of Sen. Akpabio from May 1 to December 31, 2020 to cover the period of forensic audit of the commission earlier approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
Stephen also thanked President Buhari for approving that the NDDC provided 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 region, in the sum of six billion, two hundred and fifty million naira (N6,250,000,000.00) only.
