Lawmakers benefit the most from NDDC contracts

Godswill Akpabio, the Minister of Niger Delta, has said that lawmakers benefit the most from the Niger Delta Development Commission
(NDDC) contracts.

It is no longer news that NDDC officials are being probed for the mismanagement of funds allocated to the commission.

The NDDC is under the supervision of the Ministry of Niger Delta.⁣

Accused of culpability in the alleged mismanagement, Akpabio appeared before a House of Representatives Committee investigating the allegations on Monday, July 20, 2020.⁣

He denied most of the allegations levelled against him during his testimony. He said that he has only been directly involved in the award of three contracts.⁣

In response to the suggestion to shut down the NDDC, the Minister of Niger Delta said that it would defeat the purpose of an ongoing forensic audit of the commission.⁣

He stated that the commission plays a vital role in ensuring peace and security of the Niger Delta region which contributes a significant part of the nation’s resources.⁣

He went further to allege that a lot of the contracts from the commission usually go to members of the National Assembly.⁣

“We have records to show that most of the contracts in NDDC are given out to members of National Assembly,” he said.