The umbrella body of Ijaw youths, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, has alleged the presence of sleaze in the award of fictitious desilting contracts to the tune of N20billion by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), The Nation reports.
A statement by the spokesman, Ebilade Ekerefe, claimed that the evidence available to them showed a sleazy process culminating in the forgery of signatures of former acting Managing Director of NDDC Prof. Nelson Brambaifa, and former Executive Director (Projects) Samuel Adjogbe.
Ekerefe said the signatures were allegedly forged to give credence to the payment of the ghost contractors between N300million and N400million in the last three months.
The spokesman, therefore, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the alleged sleaze.
Ekerefe equally implored Buhari to order probe into the financial transactions of the NDDC during the months under review.
He also advised him to prevail on the Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, and the Sole Administrator, NDDC, Effiong Akwa, to step aside for investigation to be carried out concerning the illegal payment.
Ekerefe said: “We have discovered that of the N20billion paid out illegally by the NDDC, 60 per cent went to Abuja through the bureau de change, while it has failed to pay the genuine contractors that have finished the projects awarded by the commission.
“The commission even hired thugs to chase away protesting contractors. We have resolved to mobilise and launch a reprisal against those hired thugs and invade the homes of those that hire them.”
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