Akpabio Reacts To Strong Allegations Of His Part In Over N40b Scam

The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, has denied accusations that he collected N500 million from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and never executed the project it was meant for.

The allegations had been levelled against him by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, Mr Peter Nwabaoshi in June.

He said the minister had collected contracts worth N500 million from the NDDC in 2017 alone without execution.

The projects include fencing the Federal Polytechnic Ukana, Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District at the cost of N200 million, fencing of Federal Government College, Ikot Ekpene (Old site) Akwa North-West Senatorial District for N100 million and entrepreneurship training on the use of modern farming implement (Youth) in Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District at the cost of N75 million.

Others are entrepreneurship training on the use of modern farming implements (Women) in Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District at the cost of N75 million and renovation of one hostel facility at the University of Nsukka, Nsukka Campus at the cost of N50 million.

Akpabio’s denial is arising on the second day of the hearing in court.

The senate had on May 5 set up a committee that consists of seven people to probe the the “financial recklessness” of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the commission.

The committee are to find out how the commission squandered N40 billion within a few months.

According to the Lawmakers, in the last three months, the commission had spent over N40 billion of the commission’s fund without recourse to established processes of funds disbursement.

Mr Akpabio and other delegates from the NDDC appeared before the committee on Friday. His statement is in reaction to allegations made against him by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, Peter Nwabaoshi