By Emma Ovuakporie
The House of Representatives Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC probing allegations of gross misappropriation of funds by NDDC has demanded to know how N81billion was expended within five months of the Interim Management Committee, IMC of the Commission.
Speaking at the ongoing probe of the commission, the chairman of the committee, Hon Tunji Ojo said:
“The committee shall summon the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the NNDC to appear unfailingly on Thursday, July 16.
The chairman said that documents obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation showed that NDDC had spent N81.5 billion between January and May.
Giving the breakdown of the sum, Tunji-Ojo said that the NDDC had spent N1.3 billion on community relations, N122.9 million on condolences and N122.9 million on consultancy.
The lawmaker said that the commission had spent N31.4 billion on COVlD-19, N486million on Duty Tour Allowances (DTA) N790.9 million on impress and N1.956 billion on Lassa fever.
According to him, the NDDC has spent N900 million on legal services, N220million on maintenance, N85.6 million on oversea travel while project public communication gulped N1.121 billion
Tunji-Ojo said that the documents also showed that N744m was spent on security, N20.9 billion on staffing related payments while N248 million was spent on stakeholder’s engagement between Feb. 18 and May 31, 2020.
See Breakdown of monies spent:
Community relations — N1 .3bn
2. Condolences — N122.9m
3. Consultancy – N83m
4. COVlD—19 — N3.14 billion
5. DTA – N486million
6. Impress – N790.9 million
7. Lassa fever — N1.956 billion
8. Legal services — N900million
9. Maintenance – N220million
10. Oversea travel – N85.6 million
l 1. Project public communication – Nl.121 billion
12. Security – N744m
13. Staffing related payments N8.8 billion
14. Stakeholders engagement (Feb 18- May 31, 2020) N248million
Total of the amount spent by IMC: N81.5 billion