THE Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has mismanaged about N6.32 trillion received from the Federal Government between 2001 and 2023, Economy Post has found.

The NDDC was established in 2000 by President Olusegun Obasanjo to develop nine states of the Niger Delta region. In 2008, late President Musa Yara’Adua created the Niger Delta Ministry and placed the NDDC as a parastatal under it.

The parastatal has, however, failed to live up to the expectations of the people and is mired in corruption, contract scams, and other forms of negative shows that have failed to benefit the people.

The Niger Delta states include: Cross River, Edo, Delta, Abia, Imo, Bayelsa, River, Akwa-Ibom and Ondo.

The allocations, the revenues

Twenty-two years since 2001, the NDDC has received N6.32 trillion as budget allocations as well as statutory and non-statutory revenues from the Federal Government.

Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF). Mr Abubakar Malami, had said in 2021 that the NDDC received N5.79 trillion between 2001 and 2019.

“It is on record that between 2001 and 2019, the Federal Government has approved N3, 375, 735,776,794.93 as budgetary allocation and N2,420,948,894,191.00 as Income from Statutory and Non Statutory Sources, which brings the total figure to the sum of approximately N6 trillion given to the Niger Delta Development Commission,” Malami had said when he received the NDDC forensic audit on September 2, 2021, in Abuja, as reported by Channels TV.

READ ALSO: Kaduna-based steel agency fails to justify N12bn allocation by Buhari govt

However, Economy Post has found that the agency received about N519 billion in both budget allocations and statutory/non-statutory incomes from 2020 to 2023, putting the total received by the parastatal from the Nigerian government at N6.312 trillion.

Over 13,000 abandoned projects

In 2021, former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and now Senate President, Mr Godswill Akpabio, said the Forensic Audit Report of the NDDC showed that there were over 13,000 abandoned projects within the coastal region.

“The report of the audit committee showed that there are over 13,000 abandoned projects in the Niger Delta and even before the submission of the report some contractors have returned to site on their own and completed about 77 road projects,” he had said, according to Channels TV.

Godswill Akpabio

“Although the exercise had a chequered history, I thank Mr President and all those who supported and ensured its success,” he had added.

The Forensic Audit Report did not, however, see the light of the day after submission to former President Muhammadu Buhari, who refused to implement whatever was contained in the report.

Economy Post was told by insiders in the Niger Delta Ministry that the audit report “is a can of worms” as it mentions names of individuals and contractors who received funds for projects that were never executed.

Some of the companies that got contracts belonged to politicians – past and present.

READ ALSO: Nigeria buys N1trn sugar from Brazil 3 years after pledging to end importation

The Media Advocacy West Africa Foundation’s investigations revealed abuse and violations of procurement laws, citing fraudulent practices on contract awards of Nonwa-Bunutai-Afam Ukwu –Afam NTA Road to Jocarl Investment Limited as well as West End Avenue in Obio Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State as evidence of corruption. Thomas Ereyitomi

An investigation by the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) found that Obohia-Ohuru-Aba Road, sections of Umuwaga community, Uzompkuri-Railway Road, among others in Abia State, were abandoned or uncompleted by the NDDC by 2020.

Premium Times’ 2019 reports cited Umedo-Udoha Road, Ikeduru-Amimo Road and Ihitte/Uboma, Isinweke – Ikperejere – Umudibia – Abueke – Uhuhu Umuahia Road in Ihitte/Uboma Local Government Area of Imo State as three projects, among many others, that were abandoned by the NDDC.

NDDC, politicians and show of shame

The year 2020 was interesting for the NDDC. During the House of Representatives probe of the NDDC in July of that year, the Managing Director of NDDC, Prof Kemebradikumo Pondei, fainted and was reportedly rushed to the hospital.

He had appeared the previous day before the House of Representatives panel but stormed out after accusing the Chairman of the committee, Mr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, now Minister of Interior, of complicity in the fraud at the agency.Kemebradikumo Pondei

His allegation, as usual, was swept under the carpet. A former Managing Director of the NDDC, Mrs Joy Nunieh, also claimed during an interview with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) that she slapped her principal, Mr Akpabio, for sexually harassing her.

READ ALSO: $1bn Ogoni clean-up project: Truths, half-truths and outright lies

“Why did he not tell Nigerians that I slapped him in his guest house at Apo? I am the only Ogoni woman, the only Nigerian woman that has slapped him. I slapped him because of his plan B. Since he couldn’t get me to take that money, he thought that he could come up on me,’ she said.Joy Nunieh

“He didn’t know that I’m a Port Harcourt girl. Port Harcourt girls are not moved by money…by somebody telling me that he will make me the substantive MD. Akpabio’s meetings with me were either at Apo or Meridien…Yes, I am accusing him of sexual harassment.”

It was also an opportunity for the stand-in House Committee Chairman, Mr Thomas Ereyitomi, to try to stop Akpabio from opening a can of worms at the NDDC by shouting, “It is okay, off your mic, Honourable Minister.” Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo

The drama was not only amusing but also confusing to many Nigerians, who felt that, as Akpabio had earlier disclosed, many of the lawmakers had a hand in the malfeasance that had taken place at the NDDC.

A show of shame

Analysts believe that the mismanagement of the allocations to the NDDC is a national shame, urging President Bola Tinubu to summon the courage and probe the parastatal.

“My take is that before President Tinubu gives any allocation to the NDDC, it must, as a matter of urgency and national pride, probe it,” said a United Kingdom-based anti-corruption crusader, Mr Ajai Samuel.

“It is a crying shame that this thing has been allowed to happen and even continue. Many contracts are abandoned by contractors even when funds allocated to it have left the agency. This is not how to build a nation,’ he said.

A social scientist, Ms Favour Glory, said the contents of the forensic audit must be revealed to Nigerians.

“Look, I am a Niger Deltan, and I am really sad that our leaders have allowed this level of fraud to happen at the NDDC. My first issue is with the forensic audit, which was carried out by Akpabio. Where is it? If it was submitted to former President Buhari, then President Tinubu should look for it and tell us what us there,” she noted.