The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has discredited the allegation by the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide that it paid N20 billion to ghost contractors.
IYC, in a statement in Yenegoa, Bayelsa State, had called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to launch an investigation into the allegation of illegal payments of N20billion to ghost contractors in the NDDC.
The commission, however, denied the allegation on Monday, in a statement by its Director of Corporate Affairs, Ibitoye Abosede.
According to Abosede, the allegation was from persons who were arranging their relatives and associates for an appointment into the board of the NDDC.
“The NDDC wants to state categorically that it did not pay any N20 billion to any ghost contractor or anyone for that matter as demonically alleged by the group. The pubic is hereby put on notice, that these spurious lies are being masterminded, fabricated and orchestrated by persons who are positioning their relatives and associates for ultimate appointment into the board of the NDDC.”
The commission said under the Interim Administration and supervision of the Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, it would continue to be focused on the prudent management of its resources.
It maintained that this is for the benefit of the people of the Niger Delta as it remains committed to the vision of President Buhari.
Abosede added that the commission urged all well-meaning Niger Deltans and Nigerians to disregard “these self-seeking elements and the concocted figments of their blurred imagination.”
