By Isaac Kertyo
The Senate has summoned the management of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, over contracts scam put at N100 billion.
The Senator Matthew Urhoghide, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Edo State-led Senate Committee on Public Accounts that is probing the NDDC, said it will personalize any refund that would be traceable to an individual during the investigative hearing.
Speaking on the development, Urhoghide lamented that it is painful that over N100 billion was spent on contracts by NDDC without justification for the spending.
The Senate Committee is relying on special periodic checks on the activities and programmes of Niger Delta Development Commission for period January 1, 2013 to June 30, 2018.
Speaking during a meeting of the committee, Urhoghide, who disclosed that the committee has invited the NDDC to appear before it on Wednesday, said: “We have invited NDDC. They don’t have records of financial transaction. They will appear before us on Wednesday.
“They have 47 queries and we are going at the issue from one to 47 and we are going to personalised any refund. It is painful that N100 billion was spent without justification for it.
“We equally invite them for status enquiry on all revenue into their accounts. We are waiting for the NDDC, if they don’t come, we will take necessary action against them.”
Some of the queries read: “It was observed that so many contractors were paid mobilisation fee to enable them to commence the execution of the projects awarded to them.
“Contrary to the terms and agreement some of the contractors bolted away after collection of the mobilization fees.
“The surprising aspect of it was that this practice involved 626 contractors in which N61.4 billion was lost to fraudulent practices.
“Irregularities in the execution of contract awarded to SETRACO Nigeria Ltd for the construction of Gbaregolor-Gbekbot-Ogulagha road phase worth N16.1 billion.”
