NDDC Probe: Senate Calls For Sack of IMC, Seeks Refund of ₦4.9bn

The Nigerian Senate has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the Professor Kemebradikumo Pondei-led Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) following alleged financial recklessness.

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In a plenary on Thursday, the Senate also advised that the NDDC be returned to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) for proper supervision.

The agency was formerly supervised by the SGF before being oversighted by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, under Senator Godswill Akpabio, upon the directives of the presidency.

The Red Chamber also recommended that the N4.923billion the current IMC members paid to staff and contractors in breach of the procurement process and approvals be refund.

The Senate resolutions were arrived on following the consideration and adoption of the recommendations of its “Ad hoc Committee on the investigation of the alleged financial recklessness in the NDDC.”

The report was presented by the Chairman of the Ad hoc Committee, Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi (Ekiti North).

Adetunmbi said: “In conclusion, the Committee noted that it is difficult to find a correlation between Niger Delta community development and cash invested in the zone.

“Continued cash injection in the Niger Delta challenge issue has not worked under the various IMCs.

“It may be useful at this juncture for the Government to intervene by stepping down the EIMC (Executive Interim Management Committee), thereby helping them leave the stage for a properly constituted board with specific mandate to address the pains of the Niger Delta people.”

The Committee insists that the IMC should be forced to refund an extra budgetary expenditure of N4.923billion payment to staff and contractors in breach of the procurement process and approvals.

Monies to be refunded by the IMC include cost for overseas travel to the United Kingdom in the sum of N85.7million, Scholarships Grants – N105.5million, Union Members trip to Italy – N164.2million, Lassa Fever Kit – N1.96billon, Public Communication – N1.2billion and COVID-19 Relief -N1.49billon.

[NATION]