The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has alleged that over 500 non-existing projects was padded in the commission’s 2019 budget.
The Acting manager of the commission, Professor Kemebradikumo Pondei made this revelation in a chat with journalists today, in Port Harcourt.
Pondei, who reacted to allegations of corruption levelled against the Commission’s interim management committee, explained that a huge amount of money was appropriated for bogus projects.
Pondei who is leading the president’s forensic audit said, “We discovered that after the agency forwarded its budget to the national assembly committees on NDDC, what was sent back to the commission was no longer recognisable, the budget was classically over padded.” he stated. He equally regretted that the budget will expire on May 31, without the execution of any project.
The commission has been described by some stakeholders as a habitat for corrupt leaders concerned only with the embezzlement of public fund, meant for projects. The commission has over the years been criticized for not living up to its mandate in the oil rich region.
