From Fred Itua, Abuja
Senate Committee on Public Accounts, has summoned officials of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) over contracts scandal worth over N100 billion.
The Committee relied on special periodic checks on the activities and programmes of NDDC for the period between 1st January 2013 to 30th June, 2018.
Speaking during the Committee’s meeting, it’s chairman, Matthew Urhoghide, said the panel had already invited the NDDC management to come and appear next Wednesday.
The chairman added that the Committee will personalise any refund that is traceable to an individual during the Investigative hearing .
Speaking further, he lamented that it is painful that over N100 billion was spent on contracts in NDDC without justification for the spending.
Urhoghide said: “We have invited NDDC to come , they don’t have records of financial transaction. They will appear before us on Wednesday.
“They have 47 queries and we are going at it the issue from 1 to 47 and we are going to personalized any refund. It is painful that N100 billion were 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 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 bolter away after collection of the mobilization fees.
“The surprising aspect of it was that this practice involved 626 contractors in which the sum of 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.”
