The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, has called on Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) existent in Nigeria to criticise the government constructively.
The minister was speaking after an NGO, Anti-Corruption Network, headed by a former member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Dino Melaye, accused his ministry of involvement in fictitious contracts totalling N29 billion between 2010 and 2011.
The projects as alleged by Melaye are Canalisation/River Training Centre in Foupolobulou Ndoro Creek; canalisation contract and the Land Reclamation/Shoreline protection project at Ogbobagbene in Burutu Local Government Area.
Mr. Melaye said the scam involved payments for “phantom projects”, over-budgeting and violation of Bureau of Public Procurement guidelines for the award of government contracts.
