Connect with us

News

Senate committee links Akpabio to alleged N500m NDDC project scam

Published

on

The Senate on Wednesday linked the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, to the alleged misappropriation of funds of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) over the years.

The Senate had on May 5 set up a seven-member Ad-hoc Committee to probe the alleged misappropriation of N40 billion by Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the NDDC.

The Chairman of the Committee, Olubunmi Adetunmbi, said the panel would carry out a holistic investigation on all issues relating to the alleged misapplication and misappropriation of N40 billion by the NDDC.

He said the panel had four weeks to report back at plenary.

However, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, who made some documents on the alleged involvement of the minister in financial misappropriation in NDDC available to journalists on Wednesday, alleged that in 2017, Akpabio collected contracts worth N500 million from the commission without execution.

READ ALSO: Senate committee fumes at alleged sale of job slots at NPA

He said: “In a letter dated August 7, 2017, addressed to the Chairman, Senate Committee on NDDC, Akpabio requested that five projects worth N500 million be added to the budget.

“Akpabio as Minority Leader of the Senate then used his office to include projects not budgeted for in the Appropriation bill. The projects as clearly stated in the letter, include, fencing the Federal Polytechnic Ukana, Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District at the cost of N200 million.

“Others are fencing of Federal Government College, Ikot Ekpene (Old site) Akwa North-West Senatorial District. Entrepreneurship training on the use of modern farming implement- Youths in Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District at the cost of N75 million.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now