A sitting senator handling 300 NDDC projects – Ojougboh

The acting executive director of projects of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Mr Cairo Ojougboh, has disclosed that a sitting Nigerian senator is handling 300 projects in the commission.

The acting director who spoke during a press briefing in Abuja explained that NDDC is owing about N 3 trillion in contracts, adding that the forensic audit ordered by President Buhari will help unravel how the money was accrued.

He also said that the contracts being handled by the senator who he refused to name are being investigated by the commission, adding that the senator has been sabotaging the efforts of the interim committee.

“Somebody who is particularly interested in a major contract of the NDDC, who is a member of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he alone has 300 jobs in the NDDC. Of the 300 contracts, 120 has been fully paid and he has not mobilised to site for these 120,”.

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“It is obvious that the reason he is behaving the way he is behaving is that he wants the system, the looting in the NDDC to continue, and this is what the Interim Management Committee will not support. It is as simple as that.

“The NDDC Interim Payment Certificates that are pending are worth over N3 trillion. That is what the NDDC owes these phantom contractors. It is these phantom contractors that are preaching and making noise to stop the probe. All they want is for stealing to continue.

“Therefore, when given the opportunity that we have just been given, our job is to make sure that we avail the auditors all the necessary documents and information, all the necessary help they need because we are not protecting any interest but to help the auditors do their job as it is required.”

“All they want is to bring puppets to manage the forensic audit because they know that the members of the IMC will not compromise. If you look at the records at the NDDC, you will cry,” he said.

“Some genuine people that have done jobs for the board have not been paid for over 15 years and their families are suffering. Many of those who were paid are these phantom contractors.

“I appeal to Nigerians to support the position of Mr President, to support the IMC, to support the people of the Niger Delta and the forensic audit.”