BY SEYIFUNMI LUMEKO
The Upper Chamber of the National Assembly has recommended abolition of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and also refund to the state treasury the sum of N4.923billion spent unapproved.
Monies to be refunded by the IMC include cost for overseas travel to the United Kingdom in the sum of N85.7million, Scholarships Grants – N105.5million, Union Members trip to Italy – N164.2million, Lassa Fever Kit – N1.96billon, Public Communication – N1.2billion and COVID-19 Relief -N1.49billon.
This is just as the Senate also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack Professor Kemebradikumo Pondei over alleged financial recklessness.
They requested that the NDDC should henceforth be returned under the supervision of the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
The resolutions of the Senate followed its consideration and adoption of the recommendations of its “Ad hoc Committee on the investigation of the alleged financial recklessness in the NDDC.”
The Chairman of the Ad hoc Committee, Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi (Ekiti North), who presented the report.said: “In conclusion, the Committee noted that it is difficult to find a correlation between Niger Delta community development and cash invested in the zone.
“Continued cash injection in the Niger Delta challenge issue has not worked under the various IMCs.
“It may be useful at this juncture for the Government to intervene by stepping down the EIMC (Executive Interim Management Committee), thereby helping them leave the stage for a properly constituted board with a specific mandate to address the pains of the Niger Delta people.”
