The Senate, on Thursday, commenced a fresh investigation into alleged mismanagement of N6.2bn palliative fund in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petition summoned the newly-appointed Sole Administrator of the Commission, Effiong Okon Akwa, to respond to the allegations.
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President Muhammadu Buhari had, a few days ago, sacked Prof Kemebradikumo Daniel Pondei-led Interim Management Committee of NDDC and appointed Akwa as the new interim administrator.
Though the alleged malfeasance was carried out during Pondei-led IMC, the Chairman of the committee, Senator Ayo Akinyelure, said Akwa was summoned because “government is continuum.”
Akinyelure was reacting to the submission of a petitioner, High Chief Sobomabo Jackrich, who claimed to be the Chairman of the NDDC COVID-19 Palliatives Distribution Committee.
Jackrich had, in a written petition before the Senate panel, alleged that Pondei and his team mismanaged food and medical items worth N6.2bn meant for distribution to the people in the nine Niger Delta states.
He alleged that just a handful of food items, though staged-managed, was provided and distributed to an insignificant number of persons in the Niger Delta states.
“As the chairman of the Palliatives Distribution Committee, I can not account for the palliatives as my committee was totally sidelined and the IMC hijacked the process,” he alleged.
The current management of the NDDC was not represented at the Senate panel on Thursday, a development which infuriated the chairman.
He said: “We are giving them (the new team) the last warning to appear before the committee or we would recommend their removal.
“They should come and account for the N6.2bn COVID-19 fund approved by the Federal Government for palliative which their predecessors mismanaged.”
A member of the committee, Senator James Manager, said the interim management has just been inaugurated, hence their inability to come.
But Akinyelure insisted that the Sole Administrator should appear before the committee to explain how his predecessor, based on the records available at the agency, spent the N6.2bn COVID-19 funds for palliative.
He, however, stepped down the petition pending when the hearing would be heard on January 26.
The petitioner urged the Senate to investigate the disbursements of the funds and other medical equipment and items meant for the Niger Delta people.
He also called on the Red Chamber to recommend the removal of officers still serving in the agency, who allegedly colluded with the sacked IMC team, to mismanage the huge sums.
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