The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has made some revelations as to the whereabouts of its N6.25 billion COVID-19 palliative funds currently under scrutiny by the Nigerian senate.
In response to the recent issuance of arrest to the management of the NDDC over alleged misappropriation of N6.25 billion covid-19 palliative funds.
The NDDC however revealed that it gave N100 million each to governors of the nine Niger Delta States as palliatives.
A delegation from the NDDC made this known to the Senate Committee on Ethics Privileges and Public Petitions during a briefing on the activities of the commission.
While fielding questions from newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja, Chairman of the committee, Senator Patrick Ayo Akinyelure, said the N100 million given to governors of the Niger Delta was included in the expenditure of the N6.25 billion COVID-19 palliatives funds being investigated by the Senate.
Ayo Akinyelure, hinted at newsmen of a possible decision by the Senate to invite the governors for some questioning in the red chambers.
“They claimed that N100 million each was given to the nine-state governors in the Niger Delta region.
“We now asked them to make a written submission on their claims to reach us before March 15 which was Monday but up till today (Tuesday), we have not seen anything. This particular probe will not be swept under the carpet.
“We want to know how many governors pocketed these palliative funds. We are aware that over N100 million each was given to each state governments.
He however gave an open window for governors to be at the liberty of sending a delegate in the person of a Commissioner in-charge to respond to allegations made by the management of the NDDC against them”.
We would now call the governors to come and account for it because none of the 27 Senators from the Niger Delta region is aware of the COVID-19 palliative funds shared to the governors by the NDDC. None of our constituents also benefitted.
The lawmaker reaffirmed the Senate’s decision to summon the Sole Administrator of the NDDC, Effiong Akwa to respond to some to avoid being issued a warrant of arrest and consequence for non-appearance, adding such a huge allegation of financial misappropriation in the commission will not be over-looked.
Akinyelure said:
“Therefore, we are calling on the NDDC sole administrator to either produce the Pondei-led interim management committee team or make available the position paper on how the palliatives were shared on or before 3 p.m. on March 18 so that we could study their submissions before March 29th when they are expected to defend their position papers”.
Recall the Nigerian senate had reaffirmed it’s issuance of arrest to the management of the NDDC of their inability to appear before its panel of the probe to account for the said N6.25 billion fund.