The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio has linked contracts awarded by the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, to members of the National Assembly, saying that majority of the contracts awarded were handled by the lawmakers.
He disclosed while answering questions at the ongoing probe by the House of Representatives committee.
The Minister had been invited by the lawmakers on Friday to defend his actions as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and shed more light on financial misappropriation within the NDDC.
According to Akpabio: “Most of the contracts at NDDC are handled by members of the National Assembly.”
“We cannot close down the Niger Delta Development Commission because we are doing (a) forensic audit,” he said.
“The NDDC plays a vital role in ensuring the peace and security of the region and 90 per cent or more of the resources of the country come from there.
“If you close it down in totality all you will have is chaos. You will have a lot of, not just militancy, you will have a lot of insurrection.
“So it is important that people who have gone to court, people who genuinely did jobs should be paid for their jobs. For me, I am not against it because, of course, who are even the greatest beneficiaries? It is you, people.”
A member of the committee took him up on his “you people” allegation and asked him to clarify.
“I just told you that we have records to show that most of the contracts in the NDDC are given out to members of the National Assembly,” the ex-Senator said.
(C) Control TV 2020.
