THE OVER STRETCHED DISPOSITION OF LOOTERS TO ABORT A PROCESS

It is no longer news that the endemic corruption inherent in the Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC) was almost irredeemable, thereby necessitating the Presidency towards the setting of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) to midwife an audit and reposition the Commission to assume the purpose for which it was created. However,  if there is any instance Prof Wole Soyinka's expression " Corruption Fights Back" is more appropriate, it is in the New Niger Delta Commission.  

The composition of the IMC has not gone down well with the charismatic looters in the NDDC. From inception it has been from one propaganda to the other, one blackmail to another. 

Recent onslaught on the Commission regarding COVID-19 contracts is not an Isolated case. It appears there is no length those that have been scavenging on the Commission will not go to distract a process with the sole intent of  breaking the resolve of the principal actors of the IMC. Otherwise, how else would one put together the direction of the detractors that has staged a deliberate attack on a process that has a span and is sure to be subjected to probity eventually. 

WHAT ARE THESE INVISIBLE ACTORS AFRAID OF?

The IMC of the NDDC has not hidden the ills and the notable characters that were strangulating the interventionist Commission. However, what they seemed to have underestimated was how much and how far "corruption would fight back" going to pseudo media platform to mention but few of their propaganda dance of shame.

NDDC by design is an interventionist commission, and nothing in the global world now can be more notable than the COVID-19 PANDEMIC. 

While  government at all levels are doing everything to combat it one could but imagine the fiduciary responsibility on NDDC to act swiftly and provide succor to the people of their region of operation.

 How insensitive it would have appeared had it been the Commission looked the other way at this auspicious time. 

On a National Television few days ago, the NDDC Director of Projects was on hand to give accounts of the activities of the Commission and he did shed light on the concerns raised on the COVID-19 intervention, stating in clear terms that while there were preparations and arrangements, that there is a process that has to be followed and the Commission was following; levels of clearance and approval.

 It bits one's imagination where the interest of mischief makers lie in sparing no efforts at spreading falsehood, expecting that the unsuspecting Nigerians will swallow falsehood and ask question later. Whatever goes on in the NDDC is not expected to fly below the rather and the disposition of the IMC of the NDDC has not given alternate indication. 

While it is expected that, public servants and public corporations be transparent in their dealings, the  President Buhari administration has not shown any intent of deviating from accountability. 

For the sake of the Niger Delta People, whose sake the NDDC was established, the perpetrators of evil should give the ongoing process a chance.

DR OJOUGBOH AND HIS IMC TEAM MEMBERS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB, DESPITE THE MASSIVE AND BASELESS AND ALLEGATIONS~Comrade Mudiaga

A Human  Right Activist and member of Warri Masses Conscious Group (MCG) Comrade Mudiaga Agbogu have assured the people of Niger Delta Region that this is the 

Season of no  untouchables and one where NOBODY is  above the Law. 

Agbogu expressed his believe that Dr. Cairo Ojougboh and the IMCs' are doing a great job despite the massive criticism and baseless accusations bombarded on him and his amiable team members of the IMC. 

 He further said that most accusations launched against Dr. Cairo Ojougboh  are mere Speculations just to thwart the original purpose of the Forensic Audit. 

He however encourage the Interim Management Committee of the NDDC to keep on the good work, noting that since the beginning of the FORENIC AUDIT, the great people of Niger Delta have experienced more of the completion of projects that has been abandoned by some heartless individuals who have been enriching themselves with the funds meant for the development of the region. 

On the constant Blackmail against the IMC which has become the currency of politics in Nigeria, Comr. Agbogu advised politicians in both local, state and federal level  to begin to see themselves as Drivers meant to move this Great Nation to a higher ground of prosperity. 

He further warned some youths of Niger Deltans to stop acting as tools in the hands of those selfish and self centered politicians who use them to fight other major stakeholders who mean well for the Region.

He said; "Politicians are paying BLACKMAILERS and Facebook E-RATS  on social media to dent the mind of the masses against the members that are in charge of the  Forensic Audit, in order to divert their attentions from their previous public funds that has been missappropriated". 

Further speaking, "Myopic people will not consider the global picture. They won't look at the gross embezzlements of funds by the formal NDDC Managements  to compare and contrast hurdles faced by  the New face of NDDC in other to achieve a positive result. However, We have been  counting progress and positive achievements since the inception of the Forensic Audit;

So anyone who sees this otherwise from honesty and  industriousness  must be heavily steeped in LIES. Indeed, We appreciate Dr Cairo Ojougboh  and his team to keep on the good work".

Crusade For Democracy And Good Governance (CDGG) Fires Back at Edidjala over outburst against Dr. Ojougboh

Following the report made by a group named 'Urhobo Patriot Front' (UPF)and signed by former Caretaker Committe Chairman under the Platform of PDP Mr. Raymond Edijala, accusing the Executive Director of Projects in NDDC, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh to be known as a man operating under the heavy weight of covert deficit, the Crusade for Democracy and Good Governance (CDGG) have lambasted Mr. Raymond Edidjala, saying that he as a former caretaker committee Chairman Udu L.G.A, could not account for the stolen funds allegedly syphoned during his time hence he was kicked out of the race during the Chairmanship Struggle. 

In a statement duly signed by the Spokesman, Dr. Bigbemi David, the group warned mischievous Politicians to desist from using the name of Urhobo groups to cause fake news and Blackmail at the detriment of Niger Deltans, noting that when Mr. Edidjala was in the council, there were series of financial misappropriations rumming the chamber which he could not defend but were swept under the carpet. 

The statement reads; " Those who have been hugely paid to join the so-called Mr. Edidjala to sink the rising profile of Dr. Cairo Ojougboh should know that, Dr. Ojougboh is not deterred from speaking the truth and performing the positive wonders of transformation in the Niger Delta Region.

"It should be noted that, NDDC is not like the so-called SURE-P that was wasted by these Caretaker Committe Chairmen like Mr. Raymond Edidjala who allegedly shot change the people of Udu Local government and put in his cronies as beneficiaries at the the detriment of the masses. We therefore forbids the so-called Raymond Edidjala who may have per taken in the financial indicement taking place by the opposition to write series of fake news and Blackmail against the IMC just to see if their names would be in the next year's List of substantive board. But President Muhamadu Buhari is an upright man who will not even look at those who destroyed the economy of Delta State and ran to the Senate to seek cover against their multiple fraud.

NDDC CAN NEVER BE YOUR CIRCUIT PIPE, NIGER DELTA ACTIVIST CAUTIONED OMO-AGEGE AND HIS ALLIES

Concerned with the raging war of propaganda highly sponsored by the Senate Deputy President, Senator Ovie Omo-age, a Niger Delta born activist, Mr. James Akpofure had called on his Urhobo Brother Augustine Omo-agege to desist from the act of blackmailing the interim Management Committee of the Niger Delta Development Commission...

Akpofure in news chat at Abuja recently revealed that the Senator representing Delta Central at the red Chamber, had conspired with some PDP Senators, Governors, and Members of the House of Representatives from the region to ensure the presidential directive on the forensic audit of the commission is frustrated.

Reacting to the alleged corruption of the IMC, the Human Rights Activist insisted that the various allegations are made up tales to discredit the team Constituted by the President to oversee the forensic audit. "I have carefully listened to the acting Executive Director of Project, NDDC, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh on Channels and Arise Television News, his explanations are clear and i must commend him for been very discretional regarding his comments on their findings so far even though the IMC oppositions are trying hard to force words from his mouth".

While commenting on the Leadership of Omo-agege in the South-South particularly Delta State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress(APC), Mr Akpofure stated that "i am not aware of Ovie Omo-agege being Leader of the ruling party in South-South, but i understand he is the Leader of the Party in Delta State by virtue of his position as the Deputy President of the Senate. I am not a member of the Party but it clear that he is yet to prove himself as leader of the party before the public. You Journalist get some these information before us, since after the 2019 elections, Omo-agege have been involved in various media wars or what you media people called propaganda with eventually all well-meaning leaders of the party in the State. First it was him and Olorogun O'tega Emerhor,    Chief Great Ogboru (the Man whose political assets catapulted Omo-agege to his current political fortune), Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan and now Dr Cairo Ojougboh." 

James Akpofure who is also a Leader of the Niger Delta Renaissance Movement, called on the Leadership of the National Assembly to steer clear of the forensic audit as the constant comments coming from the National Assembly have proven that the National Assembly is not in agreement with the  President directive for proper cleansing of the Commission before substantial management board would be inaugurated. "I have watched carefully the recent activities of the National Assembly regarding the NDDC and i must say i am disappointed with them. The current crisis rocking the NDDC-IMC could be traced to the failed nominated board of Odubu/Okumagba. Recall there was power tussle between the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Godswill Akpabio and Sen. Omo-agege/Oshiomhole over the Constitution of the board that was suppose to take over from the then acting board led by Professor Nelson Braimbraifa. The National Chairman of the APC and Ovie Omo-agege connived with some powerful persons in the presidency and formed a list of Nominees who were urgently screened and confirmed by the Senate contrary to the act that established NDDC. By the NDDC act, the Chairman and Managing Director of any substantial board to take over leadership of the Commission within this current dispensation, ought to come from Delta State but Omo-agege in his desperation to be in charge of the Agency ignored the position of the NDDC act and a lot of Niger Deltans including the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs who doubles as the Supervising Minister of the Commission vehemently rejected the formulation. Sen Godswill Akpabio been a man of uncommon wisdom draw the attention of the President to the error and later suggested to the President the idea of forensic audit and the interim management Committee which the President in his wisdom approved."

"It is very obvious that the leadership of the National Assembly have interest they are protecting hence they could pay attention to conspiracy theories regarding corruption in the NDDC under the supervision of the Interim Management Committee. Though we (Niger Deltans) have welcomed their much talk about probe but we won't keep quiet and watch them derail into unnecessary politicking and leadership tussle sprang up by Omo-agege simply because he is pained that the President and the people of Niger Delta rejected and uncovered his plans to be the de facto head of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)."

"For me as an Urhobo Man, i do not support the desperation of Ovie Omo-agege and his group of detractors. The Urhobo people and indeed the Niger Delta people in general strongly believe in legitimate means of power and not cutting corners to take over power and influence at the detriment of the people".

Before the embargo of the National Assembly, the IMC has paid N 33 billion Naira - ODILI

Culled from NDDC Official page.

The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has again debunked allegations of missing funds, saying only N33 billion has been paid to its vendors since the inception of the expanded Interim Management Committee, IMC.

Speaking during a press briefing at the Commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt on Monday, the NDDC Director, Corporate Affairs, Mr Charles Obi Odili, explained that the N33 billion that was paid was just a very little part of a debt portfolio of about N2 trillion.

He said, “the Commission has paid what we describe as historical debts amounting to about N33 billion from the inception of the expanded IMC on February 20, 2020. The historical debts cover debts to our vendors; some persons who have been owed between N1 million and N3 million, some for over seven or eight years.”

Mr Odili noted that the payments were actually intended to alleviate the sufferings and plight of Niger Delta people, adding: “The essence is to save lives and livelihoods of the Niger Delta people because some people borrowed money from banks to do little supplies and some of them got very ill and were in the hospitals and there was nothing that the IMC could have done but to assuage to this very humane issue and I think that any compassionate person anywhere in the world will do same.”

He said the historical debts, which have been settled to a large extent, included the Commission’s obligations to those who do supplies and render services, like hotels and other things to keep the organisation running. Explaining why some NDDC contractors have not been paid, Odili said: “the National Assembly has instructed us not to pay for road projects and most of the contractual obligations we owe to our contractors who are complaining are those who have done majorly road projects. So, we have an instruction from the National Assembly not to pay and we are abiding by this instruction. When it is lifted, all our contractors, especially those who have done road jobs will get their payments.”

According to the NDDC Director, “the Commission has a debt portfolio of about N2 trillion. So, when people say that we have paid so much they do not know that we have just paid very little from the avalanche of debts that we owe as an organisation and sincerely no organisation will want to be in a situation like this.”

Odili said: “A large percentage of the N2 trillion has to do with emergency projects. When the budget doesn’t come on time as at when due, some managements have taken recourse to this line of action to solve an emergency and often times because the budget is not available, the emergency often runs for a long time and this is rather unfortunate. It is not a thing that we are continuing with. But we are dealing with it as something that happened in the past.”

Lamenting that the 2019 budget of the NDDC was never implemented because the final budget got to the Commission six weeks before its expiration, Odili appealed for a quick approval of the 2020 budget. “Once that is done a lot of things, a lot of actions will be expedited,” he said, adding that “When there is a staccato of voices, where there is a lack of unanimity of purpose, as we have seen in recent times, the Niger Delta region suffers for it. The IMC was instituted by Mr President through the Office of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs to provide the enabling atmosphere for the forensic audit to thrive. We should not detract from this assignment. Let us give them a chance to succeed.”

Charles Obi Odili

Director, Corporate Affairs

June 22, 2020.

WE HAVE DISTRIBUTED MEDICAL EQUIPMENTS TO NIGER DELTA STATES - NDDC BOSS

The Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Prof. Kemebradikumo Pondei, says the Commission distributed sophisticated medical equipment as part of its contributions to the fight against the Corona Virus, COVID-19, pandemic.

Speaking during an audience with the leadership of the Niger Delta Youth Council at the Golden Tulip Hotel, Port Harcourt, Prof Pondei explained that the intervention of the NDDC in response to the COVID-19 pandemic came in three parts; namely: supply of medical equipment, provision of palliatives and public enlightenment.

He stated: “Before the COVID-19 lockdown, we had applied for approval through the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for COVID-19 intervention. The major part of it was medical equipments, then the second part was palliatives (food items) the third part involved publicity.

“Approval was given by the Federal Executive Council, and the approval letter asked us to inform the Federal Bureau of Public Procurement, since it was an emergency. It clearly stated in the letter to expeditiously do that at the end of all this. We have distributed the medical equipments to all the nine states in the Niger Delta region.

“The medical equipment included ventilators, mobile x-ray machines and PCR machines which are the only things that have not been distributed due to the fact that we are trying to work with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC to increase the testing capacity in the Niger Delta region.” The NDDC Chief Executive Officer said that the NCDC was supposed to calibrate and deploy the 54 PCR machines and mobile x-rays, which, he said were not available in many hospitals in the region.

Pondei stated that the frequent changes of management was effecting the performance of the NDDC, noting that on account of the changes, payment to contractors were often delayed even when they have achieved agreed milestones. “Frequent change of management cannot bring the kind of development we are looking for in the Niger Delta,” he said.

The NDDC boss stated that the Interim Management Committee, IMC, had not awarded any other contracts apart from the ones with Presidential approval, explaining: “What we met was historical debts. The first payments we made for contracts were the ones the National Assembly asked us to pay. And most of these debts were historic debts. We have not done any illegal payments. We have paid people who were owed.”

Pondei conceded that the National Assembly had the constitutional right to investigate the operations of the NDDC. He, however, appealed to the lawmakers to also extend their oversight function to helping the NDDC to get the oil companies to meet their statutory obligations to the Commission.

Addressing the issue of payments for the NDDC Permanent headquarters, Pondei noted that the building was started by the Oil Minerals Producing Areas Development Commission, OMPADEC, and in 2010 the board of the NDDC decided to terminate the contract. To make this possible, N500 million was approved by the Federal Executive Council to buy off the previous contractor.

He explained: “Somewhere along the line in 2016, the board of the Commission under Nsima Ekere, awarded the contract to RODNAP. I can assure you that we did not award any contract to RODNAP. We met them working there, and payments were done even before we came.

“On the issue of certificate of completion, the building is not complete. We have only moved there to fast track the work because we want that building commissioned. The President in his democracy day speech said that the NDDC's building will soon be commissioned and to me, it is a charge to go and get that place ready for completion and commissioning.”

Speaking earlier, the leader of the Niger Delta Youth Council, Mr. Samuel Ebiesuwa, said that they needed clarifications on the allegations being made against the NDDC in the mass media. He said: “We have met members of the National Assembly and stakeholders in the Niger Delta, so we deem it fit to hear from the NDDC. We see the resources of the Niger Delta as our commonwealth and will not allow the NDDC to be used as conduit pipe to syphon money that belongs to the entire region.

“There is an allegation that a contract was awarded during the COVID-19 lockdown to Osmoserve Global Ltd on April 20, 2020, for the emergency supply and deliver of medical equipment to the tune of N729, 203,137.50. We want to get NDDC’s response to this and other allegations.

OJOUGBOH REASSURES COMMITMENT TO FORENSIC AUDIT, SAYS NO GOING BACK ON OUR MISSION TO SANITIZE NDDC

Reported by: Master Tony.

The Executive Director of Project Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) DR CAIRO OJOUGBOH has restated it commitment to ensuring efficient FORENSIC AUDIT of the commission as ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Dr Cairo Ojougboh, who disclosed this at the NDDC Head Quarter in PORTHACOURT recently, said that the committee was poised to stop CORRUPTION and restore SANITY measure to the Commission.

“It will interest you to know that some times ago, Governors of Niger Delta States visited President Buhari to complain that the NDDC had fallen short of what it was intended to be in recent time.

Therefore, they asked the president to look into its affairs again, where one of the Governors said the NDDC has become a CONDUIT for FRAUD and a BLUEPRINT for CHEATING in the Niger Delta.

Based on the complaints from the leaders of the Niger Delta, Mr President instructed that a Forensic Audit be carried out and Interim C'ttee should be set up to look into the management of the NDDC while the operation lasted.

Meanwhile, Dr Ojougboh, had earlier revealed that the NDDC is currently indebted to some “Big Weight” Contractors huge amount of money running into trillions of Naira.

He said one of such contractors was awarded over 300 multi million Naira contracts by the NDDC, out of which 120 of them had been fully paid for even when he had never mobilised to any of the sites.

He alledged that the particular contractor was mobilising thugs in the Niger Delta, especially in Bayelsa and Delta states to instigate the people to prevent the FORENSIC AUDIT.

“If you look at the records at the NDDC, you will cry, some GENUINE People that have done jobs for the Agency have not been paid for over 15 years and their families are suffering. Many of those who were paid are these big Weight Contractors,” Ojougboh said.