NDDC: Akpabio, Pondei under probe over funds diversion allegations —EFCC
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…Says commission unearths contractors’ plot to swindle N3.9bn, petitions ICPC
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has commenced investigating Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, and acting Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Prof Keme Pondei, over allegations of diversion of the commission’s funds.
It will be recalled that the leadership of NDDC is currently being probed by the National Assembly for allegedly mismanaging N80 billion.
This came as the commission claimed that it had uncovered a well-designed attempt by some companies to rip off the interventionist agency of N3.9 billion with make-believe interim payment certificates.https://tpc.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html
The EFCC in an invitation letter addressed to Foundation for True Freedom and Good Governance, a civil society group, led by activist, Deji Adeyanju, by the Head, Economic Governance Section, Adebayo Adeniyi, dated August 14, 2020, with reference number 3000/EFCC/ABJ/HQ/EG/T.6/Vol4/044, said it was probing the NDDC and called on Adeyanju to come to clarify some of the issues he raised in his allegations.
The letter read in part: “We write to acknowledge the receipt of your petition dated August 3, 2020, in respect of the above subject and to inform you that investigation into the case has commenced.
“In view of the above, you are kindly requested to attend an interview with the undersigned through the O/C team six on August 20, 2020, at EFCC headquarters third floor.”
Contractors’ plot to swindle NDDC of N3.9bn
The commission said that the companies were awarded contracts for seven skills acquisition programmes in 136 slots covering entrepreneurship, building, tailoring/fashion design, web application/design, digital photography, cake making/confectionaries and baking/bread making skills training valued at N6.404 billion in August, 2019.https://tpc.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html
It noted that a month after, in September 2019, some of the companies turned in invoices requesting for payment of 60 per cent of the total contract sum, claiming they had achieved the first milestone activities of the programme amounting to N3.9 billion.
Vanguard
