Reps uncover 81billion embezzled in four months in NDDC

Findings by the lawmakers revealed that 8.5 billion left the account of NDDC without due process.

It was also discovered that the money was not released for the implementation of any project.

The 2020 budget defense of the niger delta development commission ended abruptly at the Senate on Tuesday as its interim management committee failed to account for a shortfall of 143 billion in its 2019 budget.

Chairman of the house committee on NDDC, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this during the opening ceremony on the ongoing investigation hearing into the alleged financial recklessness at the commission.

Speaking at the ceremony Tunji-Ojo said the investigative hearing was not targeted at witch-hunting anyone, but rather as part of the patriotic services of the lawmakers to get to the root of the illness bedeviling the NDDC, which was established 20 years ago.

The lawmaker gave the breakdown of spendings at the NDDC to include N1.3 billion for community relations; N122.9million for condolences, 83million for online media consultancy, N31.4 billion for COVID-19 palliatives and N486 million as DTA in the period of four months.

Also within the same period, Tunji-Ojo claimed the NDDC spent the sum of N790.9 million as impress; N1.956billion to fight the spread of Lassa fever; N900million legal services, N220million for maintenance and another N85.6million for oversea travel.

The Director-general of the bureau of public procurement Engr. Babatunde Kuye, on his part, confirmed to the panel that NDDC’s spendings were in conformity with the procurement guidelines, neither was a certificate of ’no objection’ issued to the management to embark on such spendings.

Mazi Egbufor Obidiah Chikodi reporting, Obinwannem News