Gideon Ekere, Uyo
The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has denied paying N20 billion to ghost contractors.
A group, Ijaw Youth Group, through its spokesperson, one Ebilade Ekerefe, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, had alleged in some national dailies and online news channels that the commission paid N20 billion to ghost contractors.
Director, Corporate Affairs, NDDC, Dr Ibitoye Abosede, said the commission had not in any time paid N20 billion to any ghost contractor or anyone else as demonically alleged by the group.
“The attention of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has been drawn to a spurious publication on some dailies and online news channels by some Ijaw Youth Group, alleging that the NDDC has paid the sum of N20 billion naira to ghost contractors by their spokesperson one Ebilade Ekerefe in Yanagoa Bayelsa State.
“The NDDC wants to state categorically that it did not pay any N20 billion naira to any ghost contractor or anyone for that matter as demonically alleged by the group.
“The said sponsored group who claim to be Ijaw Youth further call for the probe of monies that were never spent by the Commission is not only laughable but most unfortunate.
“The public is hereby put on notice, that these spurious lies are being masterminded, fabricated, and orchestrated by persons who are positioning their relatives and associates for ultimate appointment into the Board of the NDDC.
“These individuals, who are hell-bent on using all manners of gimmicks to arm-twist the President into appointing their relatives, cronies or associates into the Commission’s board, feel that the only way they can achieve their selfish desire is by using false allegations and blackmail against the hardworking Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and the Interim Administrator in order to get the attention of Mr. President.
“The commission for the umpteenth time states without mincing words that it never paid N20 billion naira to any ghost contractor and therefore challenges the authors and fabricators of these malicious allegations to come out with proof or name the Companies of these “ghost contractor,’” Ibitoye said this in a statement.
According to him, the NDDC under the Interim Administration and the supervision of the Hon, Minister, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, will continue to be focused and prudent in the management of its resources for the benefit of the people of the region and will remain committed to the vision of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The commission urged all well-meaning Niger Deltans and Nigerians in general to disregard those self-seeking elements and the concocted figments of their blurred imagination.