The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) says its Interim Management Committee (IMC) has saved N35 billion from its verified payments to contractors.

NDDC’s acting Executive Director (Projects), Dr Cairo Ojougboh, revealed this on Friday while addressing reporters in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State headquarters.

He made the revelation shortly after the inauguration of the Committee for the completion and commissioning of NDDC’s new permanent headquarters at the Eastern By-Pass in the state.

Ojougboh, who is the Chairman of the committee, disclosed that the commission has also verified the payments for N1.5 trillion for other projects.

He affirmed that work on the office complex was at 98 per cent completion.

“As you can see, the lifts and escalators are working, the lights and the central air conditioners are functioning.

“You have seen the external works, so I want to tell you that what is left is the ancillary building, the windows are already in place. You have also seen the asphalts, so we are good to go,” the NDDC executive director was quoted as telling reporters in a statement by the commission’s spokesman, Charles Odili.

He added, “There were lots of booby-traps which made it impossible for this building to be ready before now, but we thank God for the successes we have recorded.”

 

No More Distraction

According to Ojougboh, change has come to the NDDC and things will no longer remain the way they used to be.

He stated that President Muhammadu Buhari has worked for the change in NDDC, noting that even when the IMC leaves, those coming in would be more careful.

 

On the corruption allegations in the commission, the NDDC executive director said they have compiled the lists of those who benefitted from the agency’s contracts for another three years.

He said, “As for the list of contractors we published, that was for 2018 alone; by the time we publish that of 2019, a lot of things will come out to the open.

“Some persons claim they did not benefit from NDDC but we have documents linking them to those contracts. The forensic audit is unearthing a lot of things; 2016, 2017 and 2019 lists are ready but we have decided we would not be distracted again.”

Ojougboh alleged that the NDDC budget for 2019 was distorted to the detriment of regional projects, citing the example of regional hospital projects that were starved of funds.

“We made provision for hospitals in all Niger Delta states as our regional projects, but it was removed and replaced with the supply of chairs to schools in the region,” he said.

He, however, said that the NDDC had written letters to the National Assembly to explain why N11.6 billion budgeted for the completion of hospitals was removed and replaced with the supply of chairs and desks.

“Is that what we deserve in Niger Delta?” Ojougboh questioned.