NEW TWIST IN NDDC CONTRACTS: Commission asks Nunieh, Nwaoboshi to refund N3.5bn

I challenge NDDC to sue me, if… – Nwaoboshi

…Nunieh committed no fraud—Source

By Emma Amaize,Regional Editor, South-South

THE Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has turned the heat on its former acting Managing Director, Dr. Joi Nunieh and Chairman, Senate Committee on Niger-Delta, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, asking them to refund N1.96 billion and N2.552 billion respectively, a total of over N3.5 billion.

NDDC’s Director, Legal Services, Peter Clever Okoro Esq. in the July 28 letter to Dr. Nunieh, giving her seven days to refund N1.96 billion in compliance with the order of Senate of Nigeria, noted that she approved payments of the money for Lassa fever kits against established due process principles and process and advice by the director, education, health and social services and director, planning.

On the part of Senator Nwaoboshi, Okoro Esq said the N2.552, 305.600 was money received for contracts for the production of plastic desks and chairs for primary and secondary schools in the Niger Delta region, which were not executed.

THE Senate, which upheld the report of its Ad hoc Committee set up to investigate alleged financial recklessness of the Interim Management committee, IMC, of NDDC, last month, had asked Professor Daniel Keme Pondei-led IMC to refund N4.932 billion to the account of the NDDC.

Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police has ordered investigation into the N2.552 billion contracts for desks and chairs, following a petition to the Inspector General of Police by NDDC.

Acting Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, CEO, NDDC, Prof Kemebradikumo Pondei, had reportedly forwarded documents to the police chief in respect of on-going investigations on the matter.

Saturday Vanguard efforts to reach Nunieh on Thursday and Friday were unsuccessful, but a source close to her denied any complicity on her part. Senator Nwaoboshi, who, again, denied receiving contract from the interventionist agency, said he was already in court with NDDC, describing the letter as a diversionary ploy.

NDDC writes Nunieh, demands N1.96bn

Okoro, in the letter to Nunieh, entitled “Demand for the refund of N1.96 billion to the Niger Delta Development Commission” obtained by Saturday Vanguard, said: “You are invited to recall the memo in respect of payment for requests for Lassa fever kits dated January 17, 2020 from the Director, Education, Health and Social Services to you as Ag.MD/CEO of the Commission at the material time.”

“The said memo and the minute by the Director, Planning specifically advised that the programme should not be paid for as it was not captured in the commission’s budget. The directors further advised that the programme be included in the proposed 2020 budget to bring it within the ambits of the legal requirements.

“Contrary to the advice by the directors and against established due process principles and practice, you directed that the said payments amounting to N1.96 billion be made.

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Never judge a book by its cover, they say. And so it was with mummy as we fondly call her and her husband. It was no secret that mummy preferred the company of neighbours and spent more time in her little shop located within the compound, than she did with her ailing husband who was virtually trapped in their home on the top floor of their house. Their children who were British citizens had since returned, leaving Alhaji at the mercy of the many house helps who never stayed too long for obvious reasons. Many in the neighbourhood therefore felt genuinely sorry for him because of the shoddy treatment meted out to him by mummy. It was obvious that there was no love lost between them. Unknown to us, mummy’s uncaring attitude was a result of many years of bottled up anger, humiliation and loneliness. For these, she said she was not able to forgive her husband till the day he took his last breath. A man must learn to balance his emotions, she would say, anytime she talks about her late husband. Her story: “ You young ones must be careful so you don’t become too overbearing and destroy your son’s home in the process. It is natural for anyone who has been at the centre of everything to feel hurt and jealous if she suddenly discovers that her status has changed. But this is life and you must be grateful for the opportunity to be in that position. My mother-in-law was very close to my husband when he was young. As the story goes, they did everything together because he was her only son of four children in a polygamous marriage. So, it was only natural that she had all her hopes on him. I did not really get to know her before our wedding because I was not a frequent guest at their home. My husband did all the pursuing and as soon as we got married, we travelled out of the country on the arrangement of my father. It was there we gave birth to all our three children, the first, a girl was already in her teens when we returned. It was against my wishes but my husband could not bear the stories he was getting from his mother. On our arrival, we discovered that my mother-in-law was truly living a very stressful life in Nigeria. After the death of her husband, she had been given only one room which she occupied while he was alive, the room was in fact my husband’s inheritance from his father being her only son. The daughters were not given anything. Another reason for her condition was that none of her daughters seemed to have a peaceful, happy marriage. They were not financially buoyant as we often had to send money to them too. The only one that appeared alright was too stingy and had issues with their mother. She never failed to tell people that her mother was a witch who wanted to control everyone. Anyways, on our arrival, we did not like her condition and promptly decided to take her in under our roof. The decision turned out to be my undoing because I was warned even by her daughter not to do so. No sooner had mama settled in, that she began complaining about my cooking which she claimed was never peppery enough. If it was too thick today, it would be too salty tomorrow, and day after, she might not feel like eating whatever meal I had prepared, even when we’d asked before preparing it. That was not all, she always had an axe to grind with the children who did not understand her language, most times, accusing them of laughing at her or some other ridiculous claims. She must always have something to complain about and at the end of the day, the children will be at loggerheads with their father. When her complaints about my cooking became unbearable, I suggested that she may start cooking her own meals since it was impossible to satisfy her. This too turned out to be the final wrong move on my part and the main reason for the breakdown of communication between my husband and I. I am sorry to say that I never could bring myself to forgive him until his death, last year. It started with occasional invitations that she had prepared his favourite childhood meal, and he should have a taste. Sometimes, it was that she had prepared their native delicacy, or she had prepared a very peppery soup, like the one they had at so and so a time and it would be good for his stomach than the memede I was giving him. She would always try to recall old memories and the children and I would watch him lap it up like a dog. She lavished attention on him and held him to her apron string. My husband was never able to turn her down and it soon became a habit for him to eat from her pot, while the children and I ate from the same pot. This was not all. When they finish eating at the table, my mother-in-law would never retire to her room until we do. She would sit down and listen to all we had to say about the day’s work, the children, our plan for the next day, you know, our little family talks. then she would make suggestions and her loving son would just accept it without asking for my opinion. His mother was the wisest woman on earth. Soon, I started leaving the sitting room for them to retire to my room after our meals. That was how I picked the habit of not watching television. My companion was the transistor Radio in my room. Till today, I am not a television lover at all. My husband and his mother would sometimes sit, discussing into the wee hours of the morning, especially on weekends. Whenever I tell this story to people, they find it difficult to believe, but it is the truth. My mother-in-law and her son, my husband, shared a bed for two nights under our roof. It is unbelievable, the height of everything, but that was exactly what happened. I am not saying they had sex oh, but they slept on the same bed. My husband had complained of severe backache. It wasn’t his first, but it was most severe such that he could not even stand up erect. His mother as usual dismissed the doctor’s medicines and as usual had all the answers to everything. She told him after two days of treatment without much relief, that there was a traditional ritual she used to apply to such injuries for all her children when they were young. According to her, the therapy included body heat from one’s own mother. Though where the mother is not available, the sister or wife could take her place, but it was always better with ones mother. By this time, I’d lost all interest in her antics and was immune to them. Our neighbours used to refer to mama as my husband’s wife because most of them were aware of what was going on in our home, especially the fact that she cooked for her child. Whenever he dared to eat our own food, she would complain that she could not eat alone and had not eaten since he left for the office in the morning. What was there to fight over? * I knew I would outlive mama, no matter what she was up to. * I’d never been a very romantic or sexy person. What I mean is, I was never into all these mushy- mushy clinging unto a man in the name of love. In fact, I did not enjoy intimacy at all, for me, it was just something one must do to have children and after my children came, I was more interested in raising them, especially as my husband had lost his mind. Perhaps above all, I was too hurt and humiliated to care. I can never forgive him for what he did to me. Here was someone that I cared for, loved and even put my money and sweat to ensure that he made something worthwhile out of our stay in England because he was not so brilliant. The only way he could repay the children and I was to collude with his mother against us. Some people used to tell me that she had bewitched him, but I did not care for such talks. To me, my husband was just a weakling who could not stand up to his mother, nor live up to his responsibilities. Naturally, I was told and given several advice on how to deal with my mother-in-law, but I just never cared for my husband anymore to go to such length. I already accepted the fact that I was fighting a lost battle. I did not see myself winning mama, so I never tried. To say that I was the happiest person on earth when she died is an understatement. I thought my enemy had finally dropped from the scene and I could pick back the pieces of my marriage. I killed a whole cow and with my friends and family took aso-ebi, my circle was the grandest at the party. However, mama’s physical exit did not end my emotional trauma, she was always there, lurking in the shadows, in my mind, her prints were everywhere and I just could not forget all that they did to me. Whenever I turned to my husband or he to me, it was mama’s face I saw. Whatever affection I had for my husband would just evaporate, I would see only an enemy. When he finally cleared his head enough to see that we had nothing to call a relationship again, he called his two surviving sisters, some relatives and close friends to talk to and plead with me, but it was too late. I could not forgive him again and that was how things were between us until his death. Whenever he was in the sitting room watching television, I would either be in my room doing whatever I felt like or outside with in my shop with our tenants or a neighbour. I had nothing to share with him anymore. Now at 64, I am a grandmother, two of my children are happily married and live abroad. Going back was their escape from their father and his mother. When I visit, I don’t interfere in their businesses and they also try to make my stay nice. I think wives and mothers-in-law must not stay under the same roof for two long. That is the first step to solving this problem. It was practiced successfully in the olden days only because of the level of exposure and the fact that daughters-in-law were required to be docile and submit to the authority of their in-laws and husbands. Women had little or no say. But things have changed and it is better for a wise mother to know this. Women should learn to put themselves in each of these roles and empathise with each other. The man belongs to the two of them, they need to be patient to get the best of him. Hmmm! Do have a wonderful weekend and stay safe!!

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“I have been directed to demand and I do hereby demand that you pay N1.96 billion within seven days of this letter to the account of the commission in compliance with the order of the Senate of Nigeria,”Okoro stated in the letter.

Nunieh, while speaking to journalists after the final session of the Senate Ad hoc Committee, last month, had stated that no payment was made by the NDDC under her watch without the knowledge of Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio.

According to her, only N8billion was expended by the agency from October 29, 2019 to May 31, 2020, when she held sway contrary to the figure being bandied around.

The Chairman of the Senate Adhoc Committee, Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi, had said that based on record supplied to the panel by the IMC, the agency had so far spent N81.5billion.

He added that of the amount, the IMC, led by Nunieh, between October 2019 and February 18, 2020, spent a total of N22.5billion, while the current one, led by Professor Kemebradikumo Pondei, has so far spent N59.1billion.

But Nunieh denied spending such huge sum. The ex-acting MD of the NDDC further alleged that the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs frustrated her efforts during her tenure before she was finally removed from office.

Nwaoboshi gets 2-wks to refund N2.552 billion

In the July 5,letter to Nwaoboshi asking him to refund N2.552 billion within two weeks, Okoro said: “That sometime in 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 under the 2016 budget of the commission. The list of the companies is attached as Annexure ‘A’. The total value of the said contracts was

N2.552.305, 600.OO (Two billion, five hundred and fifty two million, three hundred and five thousand and six hundred Naira).”

“That the contracts were in furtherance of the commission’s education sector mandate as catalyst for the improvement of classroom and learning conditions in the Niger Delta region.

“That 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 items were supplied to a warehouse described as Akuede Akwis’ located at Benin Expressway, Okpanam, before Wichetech Aluminum Company.

“That despite having fully paid for the 2017 contracts for the production of chairs and desks, the items have not been supplied to the commission. The result is that the commission and the Niger Delta region have been deprived of the use of the desks and chairs.

,” he said.

Senator Peter Nwaoboshi Media Team, SPON,in a quick response, yesterday morning, said: “Our attention has been drawn to the purported subject matter above, credited to one Peter Claver Okoro, Esq, posing as the Director, Legal Services of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and we make bold to state the following:“That the purported matter is subjudice as it is already before two law courts of competent jurisdiction in Nigeria, wherein distinguished Senator Peter Nwaoboshi sued the NDDC, Mr Charles Odili and relevant newspapers for defamation of character. “The purported letter addressed to the distinguished Senator Peter Nwaoboshi was written on July 5,2020 and as at today, August 7, 2020, the said letter has not reached Senator Peter Nwaoboshi—either in person or office or by substitution. be denied.

“Nowhere in the contents of the purported letter was it stated that the contractor is directly linked to distinguished Senator Peter Nwaoboshi.

“Nowhere in the purported letter was it stated that the warehouse, where the plastic chairs were domiciled belongs to distinguished Senator Peter Nwaoboshi.

“The purported letter is absolutely fake as it was not conveyed through the official letter-headed paper of the NDDC—apparently for fear of being sued for divulgence of fake information to the general public.

“We are also not ruling out media urchins, who may have been recruited by the desperate members of the IMC of NDDC in an attempt to divert public attention from the humongous corruption charges hanging on their necks.

“Finally, we have always maintained that the IMC of NDDC are bunch of confused men without vision or direction. Initially, the alleged figure was pegged at N3.7 billion only for the confused IMC team to now come up with a totally different figure of N2.5 billion. Nigerians and the entire world could see the charades clearly. Even through the eyes of Steve Wonder!

“However, if the IMC of NDDC feel they truly have a genuine case against Senator Peter Nwaoboshi as contained in the purported letter, we are challenging them to go to the law court or make use of every legal procedure available to them,” SPON stated.

Findings by Saturday Vanguard, however, showed that there was incongruity in the signature of NDDC legal adviser, Peter Okoro Esq. in the two separate letters to Dr. Nunieh and Senator Nwaoboshi.

Okoro in the letter addressed to Nwaoboshi did not also directly mention that the contracts were awarded to him.

Senator Nwaoboshi, who spoke to Saturday Vanguard, challenged NDDC to go to court if it awarded any contract to him and they were not executed, saying: “All what you are seeing are diversionary tactics by the Commission.

Pondei avails police contract documents

NDDC MD, Pondei in a letter dated July 29 to the Inspector General of Police, however,said:“The commission has already forwarded some documents to you in assisting with your investigations.

‘In addition to the documents given to your team, I hereby forward the attached documents to you.

“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 as catalyst for the improvement of classroom and learning conditions 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. Waybills evidencing delivery of the desks and chairs at the said warehouse are hereby attached.

“Despite having been fully paid for the contracts, the contractors and the owner of the warehouse have refused to release the chairs and desks to the commission.

“The resultant effect is that the commission and Niger Delta region have been deprived of the use of the desks and chairs and neither have the contractors refunded the monies paid on the items to the commission as no money had been received.

“It is on the strength of the foregoing that the NDDC invites you to take a look at the facts culminating in this petition,” Prof

SEGUN ADEYEMI

NEW TWIST IN NDDC CONTRACTS: Commission asks Nunieh, Nwaoboshi to refund N3.5bn

…Nunieh committed no fraud—Source

By Emma Amaize,Regional Editor, South-South

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