Another corruption crisis has bedevilled the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) as Lauretta Onochie, Chairman of the Commission’s board, and Samuel Ogbuku, the Managing Director (MD), openly engaged each other in corruption allegations exchanges at the National Assembly.
During an investigative hearing by the Senate Committee on Unauthoried Spending in the Commission, Ogbuku, who was represented by Charles Airhiavere, the Executive Director in charge of Finance and Administration, accused Onochie of over stepping her bounds by desperately seeking to be a signatory to NDDC’s accounts.
According to him, Onochie had even written a letter to the Accountant General of the Federation for approval to make her a signatory to the accounts.
However, Onochie said the decision for her to be a signatory to the accounts, was taken by the board at one of its meeting, adding that it was not a personal decision.
Onochie said that the request for change of signatory was rejected because the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) directed the Managing Director to ensure that her confirmation is sought in every financial dealings.
“The CBN said I should be the confirming authority but they didn’t come back to me. That is why they have been operating the way they like,” Onochie added.
The NDDC board chairman, in a twist, accused the Ogbuku and the entire management of running the commission in breach of financial regulation.
READ ALSO: Court Restrains Onochie From Exercising Executive Powers In NDDC, Sacks 18 Aides
She claimed that the NDDC’s management currently operates a total of 367 accounts against the dictates of the Treasury Single Accounts (TSA), which according to her, are in foreign exchange (FOREX).
Ogbuku reacting, denied the existence of the 367 accounts but admitted that the commission operates only four.
Onochie also informed the Senate that since the board resumed in January 2023; it has not enjoyed the cooperation of the management adding that they have been frustrating attempts to hold board meetings where necessary decisions ought to be taken.
This was rejected by the MD, who disclosed that the main problem arose from what he described as ‘trust deficit’ between the board and the management.
Ogbuku added that the board never gave sufficient notice of any board meeting as required by law.
Onochie further informed the Senate Committee that part of the abuse of financial responsibilities displayed by the Ogbuku-led management, was the increase of the monthly impress for the MD from N4 billion to N10 billion.
Meanwhile, the Senate Committee-led by Yusuf Yusuf expressed shock at the disclosures made by the board and the management of the NDDC.
Yusuf further directed Onochie and Ogbuku to appear before it on Monday to substantiate their allegations.
Information Nigeria reports that the major reason for the investigation of how unauthorised spending were made in the Commission between 2021 and 2022 despite the absence of NDDC budget was thrown aside when the two parties engaged each another in corruption allegations.
