President Goodluck Jonathan
yesterday received a gloomy report about the operations of the Niger Delta
Development Commission (NDDC).
yesterday received a gloomy report about the operations of the Niger Delta
Development Commission (NDDC).
Presenting the report to the
president at the State House in Abuja, Chairman of the Presidential Monitoring
Committee on the NDDC, Chief Isaac Jemide, said mismanagement of funds,
abandonment of projects and poor execution of contracts featured prominently in
the operations of the commission.
president at the State House in Abuja, Chairman of the Presidential Monitoring
Committee on the NDDC, Chief Isaac Jemide, said mismanagement of funds,
abandonment of projects and poor execution of contracts featured prominently in
the operations of the commission.
He said of the 609 projects
monitored by the committee, 285 were abandoned at various levels, 222 were
completed, while 102 were on-going.
monitored by the committee, 285 were abandoned at various levels, 222 were
completed, while 102 were on-going.
He said the NDDC management
refused to give concrete explanation on why some projects were abandoned and
had not provided evidence of any attempt to recover the funds using appropriate
government agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
and Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offenses Commission (ICPC).
refused to give concrete explanation on why some projects were abandoned and
had not provided evidence of any attempt to recover the funds using appropriate
government agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
and Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offenses Commission (ICPC).
He said the NDDC also failed to
complete all Civic Centres, University Hostel Projects and all shoreline
protection over an operational period of 12 years.
complete all Civic Centres, University Hostel Projects and all shoreline
protection over an operational period of 12 years.
He said the commission engaged
in an unjustifiable introduction of astronomical variations on the contracts
sums of most projects awarded by it over short periods of time, adding that
some of the variations were effected prior to project commencement.
in an unjustifiable introduction of astronomical variations on the contracts
sums of most projects awarded by it over short periods of time, adding that
some of the variations were effected prior to project commencement.
The committee also raised
concern over the refusal of the commission to sanction incompetent contractors
such as Messrs Fountain Construction Company Ltd handling the Eket-Ibeno road
in Akwa Ibom state.
concern over the refusal of the commission to sanction incompetent contractors
such as Messrs Fountain Construction Company Ltd handling the Eket-Ibeno road
in Akwa Ibom state.
The committee, therefore, urged
the federal government to consider the implementation of the report, which it
said, would assist in repositioning the commission to ensure the meaningful
development in the region.
the federal government to consider the implementation of the report, which it
said, would assist in repositioning the commission to ensure the meaningful
development in the region.
Responding, Jonathan assured
the committee that government would look into the report to see what led to the
abandonment of projects and non-completion of some projects.
the committee that government would look into the report to see what led to the
abandonment of projects and non-completion of some projects.
Source: Blueprint
