Executive Director (Projects), Dr Cairo Ojougboh.
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has
faulted a report that it paid various sums of money as COVID-19
palliatives to members of the Senate.
NDDC’s acting Executive Director (Projects), Dr Cairo Ojougboh,
condemned the claim in a statement on Tuesday.
Ojougboh who clarified the controversy sparked by the claim also
denied issuing any statement as purported in the report.
He stressed that there was no way the agency could have made
such payments as there was no provision for such in the NDDC’s
budget.
While stating that he would have resisted such a payment if it
was brought up, the executive director said the Interim Management
Committee (IMC) has championed a campaign to cleanse the NDDC of
obvious corruption and frivolous payments.
According to him, the IMC has a mandate to restore the agency to
its core mandate of facilitating the sustainable development of the
Niger Delta region.
Ojougboh, however, urged the Senate and the National Assembly to
discountenance the report and assured them of the IMC’s cooperation
to strengthen the NDDC and make it worthy to meet its obligations
to the region.
READ ALSO: No Senator Received N20m From NDDC’s
COVID-19 Fund – Spokesman
Read the full statement from Ojougboh below:
RE: SENATE CHALLENGES NDDC OVER ALLEGED N20M PALLIATIVES
A CLARIFICATION
I read with utter dismay and surprise the report in the Tuesday
edition of The Nation newspaper, titled “Senate Challenges NDDC
over alleged N20m Palliatives”, stating that I issued a statement
alleging that the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC
paid “varying sums of money as COVID-19 palliative” to
members of the National Assembly.I want to state without equivocation, without any hint of doubt,
that I neither issued, nor made, such a statement. Indeed, there is
no provision in the Commission’s budget for such a payment.Let me make it clear, with all due respect to the hallowed
chambers of the National Assembly, as well as to the entire Nigeria
public, that I would have resisted such a payment if it were ever
brought up in the Commission.In the past few months, the Interim Management Committee, IMC
has championed a campaign to cleanse the Commission of obvious
corruption and frivolous payments and restore it to its core
mandate of facilitating the sustainable development of the Niger
Delta region. A pillar of this campaign is instituting due process
and plugging every dubious hole through which the funds of the
Commission are diverted and frittered away.
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});In the course of this campaign, it bears to emphasise once more
that I and the IMC, as well as the Commission, have been clear to
state that the National Assembly, as a distinguished body, as well
as the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, are absolved of blame. The main body of the
National Assembly is unaware of the happenings in the NDDC.To concoct this dubious, malicious and infantile lie against me,
therefore, shows the extent, and how low, people can go to bring
harm to individuals and cause disaffection among people and between
institutions.My service to my fatherland and the zeal of my patriotism, as
well as unwavering love for the wellbeing of the Niger Delta region
and our people, will not allow me to denigrate the lofty
institution such as the National Assembly, an important beacon of
our collective democratic journey. As a former member of the
National Assembly, I hold that institution in the highest esteem
and will not undermine nor denigrate its integrity.I have always stated that I am a man of peace and a soldier of
truth. I have enough integrity and honour to stand by my
statements. And let it be affirmed here that I do not issue
statements on behalf of the Commission. I do this because it is
important, as a man of honour, to speak up when my purpose is
questioned and my integrity and character are challenged.Consequently, I respectfully call on the Senate and the entire
National Assembly to discountenance that report. Let me reiterate
that I and the IMC, as well as the Commission, will continue to
work with the National Assembly to strengthen the Commission and
make it worthy to meet its Mandate and obligations to the Niger
Delta region.DR CAIRO OJOUGBOH
Ag. Executive Director, Projects.