Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has been making headlines on both local and international news media in recent weeks as the Nigeria National Assembly probes the commission’s financial activities.
In addition to the probe, the commissions Ex-MD Joi Nunieh has been heaping series of allegations of corruption and sexual harassment against Godswill Akpabio, the Minister of Niger Delta.
It has been revealed that NDDC received a total of N333.05 billion allocations in the past five years from 2016 to 2020 according to BudgIT.
The details are as follows
- 2016: N41.05bn,
- 2017: N64.02bn,
- 2018: N81.88bn,
- 2019: N100.2bn,
- 2020: N45.9bn
The question that is being asked is what are these money used for?
It emerged that NDDC spent the sum of N81.5 billion between January and July 2020.
- Have you read;
- Exchange rate to remain at N360/$1 until 2023: MTEF/FSP report
- You must be Flexible in order to Succeed in Business
The Central Bank of Nigeria and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation have indicted the Niger Delta Development Commission in the investigation of the illegal spending by the commission between January and July 2020, amounting to N81.5bn.
The Bureau of Public Procurement also said it did not issue ‘Certificates of No Objection’ to the NDDC for the procurement made by the commission with the money.
The breakdown of the N81.5bn spending according to Punch is as follows;
- Community relations – N1.3bn
- Condolences – N122.9m
- Consultancy – N83m
- COVID-19 – N3.14bn
- Duty tour allowances – N486m
- Imprest- N790.9m
- Lassa fever, N1.956bn
- Legal services – N900m
- Maintenance – N220m
- Oversea travels – N85.6m
- Project public communication – N1.121bn
- Security – N744m
- Staffing related payments – N8.8bn and
- Stakeholders engagement (Feb 18 – May 31, 2020) – N248m.
Written by;
Ifunanya Ikueze
