Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has accused the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) of defrauding the state of N400 million.
According to him, the fraud is a part of the agreed fund to build a regional hospital worth N1.7 billion.
Wike stated this when members of the House of Representatives Committee on NDDC, led by its Chairman, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, visited him at the Government House in Port Harcourt.
According to Wike, the NDDC agreed to pay N900 million, while the state is given N800 million which was paid, but the NDDC mobilised the contractor with N400 million out of the N900 million, and later the contractor left the site because he was abandoned.
However, Governor Wike said the commission should make a refund of N400 million, saying that the agreement has been politicized.
Wike stated that NDDC refused to interface with the governors from the oil-producing states, to develop Niger Delta, strategically, chosen to act like a state on its own.
He further hinted that the state has received a court order ensuring NDDC does not embark on indiscriminate execution of projects without its consent.
Wike added that the NDDC was still sidelining oil-producing states from its affairs, despite the inauguration of the commission’s advisory council
The statement read in part: “We agreed to build a regional hospital called Mother and Child Hospital for N1.7 billion. We were to bring N800 million while NDDC would bring N900 million. The state paid its N800 million and NDDC mobilised the contractor with N400 million of the amount. But it abandoned the contractor and the contractor left site.
“When we came on board, we said no more partnership and asked for a N400 million refund, but that became a problem as politics set in.
“Even when we are inaugurated, we were not involved in anything that happens in NDDC, which is most unfortunate.
“NDDC is like a state on its own without working with states; it is so because the states of NDDC are controlled by the opposition party, therefore there is no need to consult with them,” he added.
He therefore urged the National Assembly to be determined in its oversight function by ensuring that the NDDC stopped squandering resources for the development of the Niger Delta on building roads and other developments.
Tunji- Ojo on his part, promised that the committee would ensure that the NDDC work together with the critical stakeholders of the region.
“I assure you the committee will ensure NDDC works in synergy with critical stakeholders of the region”, he added.
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