Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
The Federal Government has directed the management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to put on hold its current employment exercise.
Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Godswill Akpabio gave the directive through a letter issued by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, to the Acting Managing Director of the NDDC, Dr Akwagaga Enyia.
Both directives came after the Minister’s inaugural meeting with NDDC management, where he gave the team a marching order to buckle up on the development of the Niger Delta region.
Akpabio had during the meeting said the NDDC owed over two trillion naira, disclosing that the government will carry out a forensic audit with the aid of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in analysing the monies that have accrued to the Commission so far, and its expenditure.
Akpabio, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Anietie Ekong, further “directed the suspension of handing over of appointment letters, documentation and all other processes connected to employment into the Commission.
“According to the Ministerial directive, the Commission’s pay roll should not accommodate any new employees and should revert to the status quo as at August 31, 2019, while he should be furnished within three days with a detailed report of any employment exercise being undertaken by the Commission.
“The letter said the suspension exercise is to subsist until a due process evaluation of the purported exercise is carried out by the Ministry in consultation with the two NDDC Committees of the National Assembly and sought prompt action of the Acting Managing Director on the matter,” Ekong said.