The Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs has distanced itself from
query allegedly issued to the Niger Delta Development Commission,
NDDC, over allegations of a N5.5bn contract scam involving Signora
Concepts Services Ltd.
The query was purportedly issued by the Minister of Niger Delta
Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, to the Interim Management
Committee of the NDDC demanding explanation on the alleged contract
scam.
But the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Olusade Adesola,
said in a statement on Monday, in Abuja, that an internal probe had
proved that no fake or unauthorised transaction was conducted.
According to him, “The attention of the Ministry has been drawn
to an alleged letter circulating on social media purporting that
the Honourable Minister, Senator (Dr.) Godswill O. Akpabio, CON
directed the issuance of a letter/query to the Interim Management
Committee of the NDDC demanding explanation on the allegation of a
contract scam of N5.5 billion issued by the Commission to Signora
Concepts Services Ltd within three days.
“It is to be noted that the Niger Delta Development Commission
had in its various publications in the media denied without
equivocation the alleged contract, stating that the ‘document is
simply fake or at best unauthorised.’
“The company, Signora Concepts Services Ltd, also issued a
statement that it did not receive any payment for the purported
COVID-19 contract before the NDDC withdrew the said contract paper
it described as either fake or unauthorised.”
He said “the ministry is satisfied with the explanations
provided by the commission and the company,” and had gone ahead to
confirm that “no single payment was made on account of the ‘fake or
unauthorised’ transaction.”
“Wherein lies the use of the words ‘scam’ or ‘fraud’? Therefore,
the ministry has no intention or need to demand any further
explanation from the NDDC.
“In the light of the above, the purported letter/query said to
have been issued by the ministry to the NDDC was only a figment of
the imagination of the mischief-makers who, in their trepidation on
witnessing the takeoff of the forensic audit of the NDDC directed
by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, have persisted
in their campaign of calumny and would stop at nothing to stultify
the exercise, including the vilification and mudsling of the person
of the honourable minister and the IMC of the NDDC.”
The permanent secretary underscored that the ministry had not
issued or authorised the issuance of any query/letter demanding
answers from the IMC of the NDDC on any of its well-intentioned
actions so far.”
“The Honourable Minister, Permanent Secretary and Management of
the MNDA, therefore, disassociate the entire ministry from the said
fallacious letter/query in all respects.
Adesola, however, advised the general public to exercise great
caution in receiving correspondences concerning the Ministry and
its parastatals from sources other than the Ministry of Niger Delta
Affairs.
The Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs has distanced itself from
query allegedly issued to the Niger Delta Development Commission,
NDDC, over allegations of a N5.5bn contract scam involving Signora
Concepts Services Ltd.
The query was purportedly issued by the Minister of Niger Delta
Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, to the Interim Management
Committee of the NDDC demanding explanation on the alleged contract
scam.
But the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Olusade Adesola,
said in a statement on Monday, in Abuja, that an internal probe had
proved that no fake or unauthorised transaction was conducted.
According to him, “The attention of the Ministry has been drawn
to an alleged letter circulating on social media purporting that
the Honourable Minister, Senator (Dr.) Godswill O. Akpabio, CON
directed the issuance of a letter/query to the Interim Management
Committee of the NDDC demanding explanation on the allegation of a
contract scam of N5.5 billion issued by the Commission to Signora
Concepts Services Ltd within three days.
“It is to be noted that the Niger Delta Development Commission
had in its various publications in the media denied without
equivocation the alleged contract, stating that the ‘document is
simply fake or at best unauthorised.’
“The company, Signora Concepts Services Ltd, also issued a
statement that it did not receive any payment for the purported
COVID-19 contract before the NDDC withdrew the said contract paper
it described as either fake or unauthorised.”
He said “the ministry is satisfied with the explanations
provided by the commission and the company,” and had gone ahead to
confirm that “no single payment was made on account of the ‘fake or
unauthorised’ transaction.”
“Wherein lies the use of the words ‘scam’ or ‘fraud’? Therefore,
the ministry has no intention or need to demand any further
explanation from the NDDC.
“In the light of the above, the purported letter/query said to
have been issued by the ministry to the NDDC was only a figment of
the imagination of the mischief-makers who, in their trepidation on
witnessing the takeoff of the forensic audit of the NDDC directed
by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, have persisted
in their campaign of calumny and would stop at nothing to stultify
the exercise, including the vilification and mudsling of the person
of the honourable minister and the IMC of the NDDC.”
The permanent secretary underscored that the ministry had not
issued or authorised the issuance of any query/letter demanding
answers from the IMC of the NDDC on any of its well-intentioned
actions so far.”
“The Honourable Minister, Permanent Secretary and Management of
the MNDA, therefore, disassociate the entire ministry from the said
fallacious letter/query in all respects.
Adesola, however, advised the general public to exercise great
caution in receiving correspondences concerning the Ministry and
its parastatals from sources other than the Ministry of Niger Delta
Affairs.