…’I Didn’t Touch Monies Meant For Niger Delta’
By Kolawole Ojebisi
Former Managing Director of the Interim Management Committee of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Joi Nunieh, has said that she once discovered that a bulletproof car she first used as official car was provided by a contractor.
As a result, she said, she returned it the day she discovered.
She disclosed this during her testimony before the House committee probing the record financial recklessness at the NDDC.
Nunieh, who said she met the contractor who gifted the car to NDDC at the airport, said it was shocking to her that a contractor would provide such for an organisation, arguing that such action encouraged corruption.
According to her, when she told the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Goodwill Akpabio, about it, he allegedly found nothing strange about it.
“The Minister said oh that man is a good person” she recalled Akpabio to have said
Nunieh told the National Assembly committee investigating activities of the commission that, since then, she had no official vehicle as the minster allegedly refused to approve one for her.
She also said the minster was domineering and always wanted to have a tyrannical hold on her, adding that he once warned her against talking to the wife of Former Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, Judith, saying ‘they’re are against his 2023 presidential ambition.’
Also, Nunieh while testifying before the House of Representatives Committee on NDDC, Friday at the ongoing investigative hearing on the alleged illegal expenditure and mismanagement by the commission said he didn’t spend touch a dollar or any other currency from the fund meant for the Niger Delta people.
She said, “I did not spend a dollar of Niger Delta people’s money. I did not collect any money from contractors and I never touched monies belonging to the Niger Delta.”
When asked if she actually spent N8bn throughout her tenure as Acting MD of NDDC contrary to N18bn the CBN claimed was spent during the period.
Nunieh, who knew she had sworn to an oath, said she couldn’t give a specific amount as she didn’t have the documents with her in Port-Harcourt, she added that they(documents) were in Abuja.
Nunieh said, “You know I am under oath so I can give you a specific amount.”
She, however, opened a Pandora’s Box by giving the three categories of people responsible for the “comatose” state of the NDDC.
She added, “During my tenure, for the first time in the history of NDDC, all staff worked throughout December, there was no break. Three groups are responsible for the corruption in the NDDC: the management – IMC, the staff of the commission and the people of the Niger Delta.”
