NDDC wants failed contractors prosecuted, appeals to IG

The management of the Niger Delta Development Commission has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, seeking the arrest and prosecution of contractors, who collected mobilisation funds, but refused to execute contracts they got from the agency.

The Managing Director of the agency, Prof. Kemebradikumo Pondei, signed the petition, dated July 29, 2020.

Pondei, in the letter, reminded the IG about some documents relating to the alleged contract scam in the agency, currently being handled by the police department of operations.

Titled, ‘Re: Forwarding of documents in respect of ongoing investigation’, the petition stated that the NDDC had attached fresh documents that could assist the police in the probe.

The petition read in part, “In or about 2017, the commission awarded contracts to certain companies for the production of desks and chairs for primary and secondary schools in the Niger Delta region.

“The list of the companies is attached".

“The contracts were awarded in furtherance of the commission’s education sector mandate in the Niger Delta region".

“Instead of supplying the chairs and desks to the commission’s warehouse in Port Harcourt or to any of the NDDC offices in the nine Niger Delta states, the contractors supplied them to a warehouse described as Akuede Akwis, Benin Expressway, Okpanam before Wichetech".

“The warehouse is located in Delta State and has no relationship with the commission.”

Meanwhile, a construction firm, Webster Global Ventures, alleged by the NDDC to have been used by some federal lawmakers in contracts scam, has denied being part of such a fraudulent practice.

Pondei had recently alleged that the firm was using the National Assembly to coerce the NDDC into making payments for contracts not executed.

The company, in a statement issued by its Director of Operations, Opeolu Adara, on Sunday, described Pondei’s claim as a deliberate attempt to bring the firm’s reputation into disrepute.

The statement read partly, “We are a company of international repute and no one should dent our image".

“The National Assembly never influenced payment made to our company because we completed all the projects we handled".

“We have been in operations for more than 20 years and we have never been linked to any form of fraud as a corporate company".

“Nobody gave us any recommendation and we do not have any business with the National Assembly.”