By: ELDER MUELE AZIAKA
Following the accusations leveled against the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) on “massive corruption and lootings” involving the commission’s board members, management staff, contractors, legislators, and other top politicians past and present, as a result of the “forensic audit” ordered by President Muhamadu Buhari; there has been series of testimonies, commentaries, public hearings, etc, against the Commission, especially on the social media.
Recalled that the NDDC formation and the current forensic audit is an instrumentality of the Presidency. Therefore, it must also be the instrumentality of the Presidency to punish all the criminals past and present operating within and around the NDDC without further delay, and putting the Commission on a sound footing by applying the following corruption deterrent recommendations:
Applying the word of God as contained in Luke 10:19 to the letter.
Applying the word of God as contained in Ezra 7:26 to the letter.
Remember the word of God in Ecclesiastes 8:11, and do the needful, to stem the tide, for “a Stitch in Time Saves Nine”.
Decentralize NDDC operations completely by creating its Local Government Offices (committees) in all the Local Governments Areas that make up the Niger Delta Region respectively. Such local Government Area offices (committees) should be vested with the responsibilities and power to provide for the needs of that particular Local Government Area and her indigenes as and when necessary. Unbundling the NDDC is the best option and the only panacea, so that the bulk sum allocations to the Commission will no longer be kept in one account or controlled by one central body. Each Local Government Area offices shall have their individual accounts with an approved bank by the Presidency, and their monies and operations controlled by an appointed Local Government Area Committee of 5-members only. These Committees shall operate in line with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) prudential guidelines, and publish their annual financial statement, audited, on or before December 25th every year; otherwise, the New Year’s allocations shall not be released to them.
It should be noted that the bulk sum allocations lodged in one account, and controlled by one central body is tempting and attracts evil eyes and evil men (criminals) to the Commission, for business as usual. Monies accruing to the Local Government Area offices (committees) will not be so much as to attract evil men and criminals to the committee. Again, the Local Government Area offices are very close to the local people to monitor for compliance, effectiveness and proper performance by the committees.
Immediate termination of all management staff of NDDC and transfer of other staff to other parastatals or agencies of government. This is to forestall further corrupting of the new board members of the Commission and their contractors. It should be noted that without the conspiracy, collusion and compromise of the NDDC staff, it would not have been possible for the board members, contractors and politicians to perpetrate such massive fraud and crime.
All assets and liabilities, as well as transactions of the NDDC should be under the direct control of the Presidency as it was initially on inception.
All NDDC contractors involved in the scandalous scam should be made to cough out the huge sums of monies so far embezzled, otherwise, life imprisonment for non-compliance; and their properties within and outside the country confiscated and sold by the Federal Government, then, the proceeds of such sales are returned to the Commission’s coffer for real development of the region.
All NDDC contractors involved in the scandalous scam should be deregistered and revoked with immediate effect. Thus, they should have no business deals with the Commission anymore.
The Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs should be merged with the NDDC with immediate effect, and their monthly allocations added to the Commission’s fund. Thus, a consolidated financial statement be prepared accordingly by the Commission under direct supervision of the Presidency. This is because the Niger Delta Ministry has been so silent over the years, since its creation and its functions not clearly defined from that of the NDDC.
All undue political influences from the Executives, Judicial and Legislative arms as well as parastatals and agencies of Government, other than “oversight function”, on the Commission must stop forthwith. This is to allow the Commission free hand to operate diligently, efficiently, confidently and effectively, as expected of it, without bias.
It has been observed with dismay over the years that the payment of 90 – 100% mobilization fees or contractual sums to contractors of the NDDC only encourages massive corruption and fraud, rather than real project execution. These payments must stop forthwith for the Commission to succeed on its core mandates. All contractors should be competent enough to mobilize themselves through their Bankers to all project sites for commencement of work. Mobilization fees or contractual sums can only be paid to them, when it is very obvious that a considerable and reasonable work, up to 80% level of completion, had been certified done by the Commission’s Project Managers or Engineers, without compromising on standard specifications.
The Federal Government must as a matter of urgency, go back to the NDDC Establishment Act 2000, Sections 7 and 11 and other relevant sections, and redouble its efforts to focus on the core mandates, without compromising again. Note that, the Federal Government’s compromise led to the Commission’s blunders.
Immediate reappointment of the former NDDC Director of finance, Mr. Derek Mene, as the substantive Managing Director of the NDDC Management Board, without further delay. This is because Mr. Derek Mene is True Ogoni man, and it was as a result of the Ogoni struggle, with the subsequent demise of the Great Ogoni Leaders that led the Presidency under Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, to create the NDDC, as a ‘compensatory development strategy’ to Ogoniland in particular, and the Niger Delta Region in general. Recalled that, since the NDDC was created, no Ogoni man has been appointed as the substantive Managing Director of the Commission. The sole reason, the NDDC is in this mess, is because the spirits of the slained Ogoni and Niger Delta heros, such as Late Ken Saro Wiwa, A.T. Badey, E.N. Kobani, S.N. Orage and T. Orage (to mention just a few) are angry and they are haunting the Commission and the Federal Government of Nigeria for not allowing an Ogoni son or daughter to chair the Commission’s Management Board. Their aim of paying the supreme price is being defeated, negated and marginalized. This is bias and unfair treatment meted unto the Ogoni people, in spite of their contributions to the Nation’s economy internally and internationally.
Senator Godswill Akpabio and Prof. Pondei should be sacked from office with immediate effect, without further delay, as their continuous stay in office negates President Buhari’s zero tolerance for corruption policy.
Future NDDC contracts, after the forensic audit, should be awarded to reputable companies such as Julius Berger, RCC, or China Engineering and their affiliates for quality and durable job performance. Indigenous contractors should serve as attachees to the mega companies.
N/B: If the aforementioned recommendations be judiciously implemented without fear or favour it will not only serve as a deterrent to others but will also reshape, restructure, revive, reposition and restore the NDDC completely.
