By Haruna Salami
The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC is again in the news as alleged fresh fraud bordering on N6.25 billion palliative has been exposed.
Senate Committee on Ethics and sand Public Petition Thursday disclosed that the senators from the nine states under, NDDC have denied knowledge of N6.2 billion palliative provided in the NDDC 2020 budget.
The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Patrick Akinyelure who made this known while addressing newsmen after the meeting of the Committee gave the NDDC till Feb 22 to appear before the Panel.
The Committee had summoned NDDC three times as result of the petition submitted by the Chairman of the Covid-19 Palliative distribution Committee of the NDDC, Chief Sobomabo Jackrich alleging that the Interim Management of Committee of NDDC mismanaged the N6.2 billion earmarked by the Federal government for the people of the region.
Speaking on the fund, Senator Akinyelure said that as one of the Senator from the Niger Delta region, he was ignorant of N6.2 billion palliative for the people of the region adding he has investigated the matter further among his colleagues from the Niger Delta and they are not aware of distribution of Covid-19 palliative.
According to him, “I never knew how it was distributed, no other senators are aware of the distribution in the Niger Delta region.
“We have given the NDDC till February 22 to come and explain to Nigerians how the money was spent. We want to know, this committee is calling them for the last time.
The sacking of the Interim Management Committee, IMC of NDDC not withstanding, Senator Akinyelure said “government is a continuum and whoever is in charge now must account to Nigerians”.
The Petitioner had said that as the chairman of the palliative committee, he was totally sidelined and IMC hijacked the process because of their secret plots as he was not carried along in the distribution of palliative.
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