We Used N1.5bn To Take Care Of Ourselves As COVID-19 Palliative

Kemebradikumo Pondei, the acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), has said that the commission spent N1.5 billion for staff as ‘COVID-19 relief funds’.

Pondei made this statement while addressing an ad-hoc committee at the investigative hearing on the N40 billion corruption allegation against NDDC.

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The Senate had set up the seven-man ad-hoc committee on May 5, to investigate the “financial recklessness” of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the commission.

According to the lawmakers, the commission has, within the last 3 months, spent over N40 billion of the commission’s fund, “without recourse to established processes of funds disbursement which has opened up further suspicion among stakeholders of the Niger Delta Region.”

Mr Pondei and other delegates from the commission appeared before the committee on Thursday for the hearing.

Part of the audit report read out by the chairman of the committee, Olubunmi Adetunmbi, said N3.1 billion was spent as COVID-19 funds between October 2019 and May 2020.

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In the report, the lawmaker said;

“N10 million was paid to one person, N7 million to two people, N5 million to three people, 148 people took N3 million each, 157 people got N1.5 million each, 497 people got N1 million each and 464 people were paid N600,000 each.

“Another N475 million was given to the police to purchase face masks and hand sanitisers.”

Responding to questions regarding the COVID-19 Relief Fund paid to NDDC staff, Pondei said, “only N1.5 billion was used to take care of staff” despite being paid their salaries.

Explaining that part of the fund was for the youth of Niger Delta, Pondei said;

“The youth were given palliatives to help cushion the effect of the pandemic on the people. The youth were idle and to avoid violence, they were paid.

“Five million for youths and five million for women and five million for people living with disabilities in each senatorial district.

“the remaining fund was spent on staff of the commission.

“We used it to take care of ourselves. We are NDDC, we need to take care of ourselves too.”

When asked why the police was given N475 million, the MD said;

“A request was made from the high command of police and the management took a look at it and approved it.

“The money was an intervention and the NDDC is expecting a report as to how the money was spent.”

The chairman said the investigative hearing will continue on Friday.