Manager, Mutu, Nwaoboshi, Ojo lead names
The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has reechoed the claims by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, who stated on National TV that 60% of contracts are awarded to National Assembly members by the Commission.
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Niger Delta Today reports that claims were reiterated by the Executive Director, Projects, of the Interim Management Committee of the NDDC, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh.
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Dr Cairo disclosed the accused lawmakers who hail from the Niger Delta region to include Senator James Manager of Delta South and Senator Peter Nwaoboshi of Delta North Senatorial Districts.
Speaking during a courtesy visit to the palace of the Asagba of Asaba, Prof. Chike Edozien, Ojuoboh disclosed that the lawmakers have practically used the NDDC as a farmland for the past 20years.
He stated that the lawmakers penetrated the Office of the Secretary to Federal Government (SGF) to carry out the fraud that ruined the commission.
He disclosed that none of the IMC members have been indicted since the commencement of the probe.
Dr Cairo also alleged that the aim of the NASS members was to return the commission from the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs (MNDA) to SGF office in order to continue the sleaze.
Ojougboh emphatically indicted Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, alleging that his factory in Asaba played host to other lawmakers to receive NDDC contracts.
“Look at our son, Nwaoboshi, his factory is the warehouse of NDDC, they will award the contract, they will now say they received the contract in his factory.
“We have the list of the contracts given to NASS members, all of them were collected through Mutu, Nwaoboshi, Manager and Ojo.
“What the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs said was very right, he did not recant, that is what people don’t understand.
“He said since we came, we have not awarded any contract. Therefore the Ninth Assembly is not involved, the involvement of the Ninth Assembly is through Ojo.
“In the probe, NASS members are the contractors, they are the judge, they are the prosecutors and they are the jailers.
“That is the country we find ourselves. If this country must move improve, we must look at NASS, and I will tell them where to go at NASS,” Ojougboh told the monarch.
He said the money that was paid into his account is for a trip coming up later in September, explaining that the trip was postponed to September as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The trip was postponed because of the COVID-19 event. So the University of Coventry wrote to say that they will wait until the government relaxes the travel ban before the ceremonies and graduation of students will take place,” he added.
The Executive Director’s visit was a courtesy call prior to the launch of a N450 million police equipment fund sponsored by the commission.
