Senate Summons Niger Delta Affairs Minister over N480bn Fraud Allegations, NDDC Budgets

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions have summoned the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Umana Okon Umana over allegations of non- performance and corruption.

The Chairman of the panel, Senator Ayo Akinyelure, stated this at a news conference in Abuja, yesterday.

He said the committee had met and resolved that the minister should be invited based on the strength of a petition against him.

The Senator added that the committee had agreed to ensure the matter was accorded an accelerated hearing.

He said the minister was expected to appear on November 10 by 2pm.

Akinyelure said details of the allegations contained in the petition had been forwarded to the minister.

Giving further details on the petition, Akinyelure said the petitioner alleged that the minister was aiding corrupt practices and had failed to inaugurate the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission.

He said the Minister was also accused of trying to replace the sole administrator of the NDDC, Mr. Effiong Akwa, who was duly appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari, and confirmed by the National Assembly.

He said removing the sole administrator would be detrimental to the interest of the people in the Niger Delta region

The Chairman said the minister was also expected to explain why he decided to sack over 700 staff of the NDDC.

Furthermore, Akinyelure said the minister was accused of allegedly pursuing own agenda as against that of the Niger Delta region.

He said Umana, based on the petition was compiling projects not appropriated by Buhari to get N480 billion funds of the agency domiciled in the CBN.

He said the N480 billion was contributed by the international oil companies for the use of NDDC and the minister was allegedly going behind the back door to get the money out.

He said, “We want the president to stop the minister because the projects he had allegedly compiled, were not appropriated for by the National Assembly.

“Our people in the Niger Deltra region where funds are being generated for the country are in a state of commatose.

“The president has in his wisdom deemed it fit to appropriate funds to the Niger Delta region but the minister has refused  to bring the appropriation before the National Assembly for us democratically elected representatives of the people to give approval nut they have refused to do so.

“There are a lot of higher level mismanagement of resources due to develop the Niger Delta region.

“Whenever I decided to invite them, they will give hat excuses are the order to get by changing people who will be able to dance to their tune will be able to different areas of perfect fraud.

“We’ve come to realise we believe that Mr. President is doing his best. But those he appointed as he said, as aides and ministers are frustrating the anti-corruption agenda of the president.

“When this petition was received against the Minister of Niger Delta Region.”