Revealed! How Akpabio Begged To Include N500m Worth Of Projects In 2017 NDDC Budget

In line with adage that says nothing is hidden under the sun, documents showing how the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Godswill Akpabio secretly pleaded to included five projects worth 500 million naira in the 2017 Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) had been made public.

In a letter dated August 7, 2017, addressed to the Chairman, Senate Committee on NDDC, Akpabio requested that five projects worth 500 million naira should be added to the budget.

Akpabio, the then the Minority Leader in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, used his office to included projects not budgeted for in the budget.

The projects include, fencing the Federal Polytechnic Ukana, Akwa Ibom North West Senitorial District at the cost of 200 million naira.

Fencing if Federal Government College, Ikot Ekpene (Old site) Akwa North West Senitorial District.

Entrepreneurship training on the use of modern farming implement- Youths in Akwa Ibom North West Senitorial District at the cost of N75 million.

Entrepreneurship training on the use of modern farming implement- Women in Akwa Ibom North West Senitorial District at the cost of N75 million.

Renovation of one hostel facility at University of Nsukka, Nsukka Campus at the cost of N50 million.

According to credible sources in the senate, this is not the first time he is doing it as it did it in 2016 and in 2018 as well.

Findings show that while there was no physical evidence of implentation of these projects, checks show contracts were awarded and fully paid for. Such practices have turned the region to sites of abandoned projects.

The NDDC is currently under probe for an alleged N40 billion irregular expenditure by the Interim Management Committee (IMC).