I Never Said Lawmakers Are Beneficiaries Of NDDC Contracts ― Akpabio

The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Godswill Akpabio has come out to say that he never said 60 percent of contracts in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was awarded to lawmakers.

He revealed this via a letter addressed to the House of Representatives and read by the Speaker, Rep. Femi Gbajabimila at the plenary today.

According to him, the investigative committee did not allow him to explain what he meant when he made reference to 60 percent contracts in the NDDC and he never referred to members of the 9th House of Representatives as beneficiaries.

He added that NDDC is even yet to fully implement any NDDC budget since the beginning of the 9th National Assembly.

His words, “As to the reference to 60 per cent of contracts, the investigative committee refused and neglected to give me the opportunity to explain that; I was responding to a question by a member of the committee

“Permit me to explain that any reference to 60 per cent during the investigative hearing was in answer to a question by a member of the committee as to whether or not, a medical doctor could act as Executive Director project which I answered in affirmative.

“That the greatest project in the world today is COVID-19, which is medical in nature; furthermore, I am made to understand that 60 per cent of NDDC yearly budget is medical in nature, therefore is better for a medical doctor to serve as the Executive Director Projects,”

“I never referred to members of the 9th House of Representatives as beneficiaries of NDDC contracts as the NDDC is yet to fully implement any NDDC budget since the beginning of the 9th National Assembly.

“The Director Projects forwarded to me 19 old contracts amounting to nine billion naira which the NDDC Chairman in the house insist the IMC pay for.”