The sum of N100billion has been alleged to have being looted at the North-East Development Commission (NEDC).
The allegation is coming just as similar development which is currently under probe is said have occurred in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
During its sitting yesterday, the minority leader of the House of Representatives, Ndudi Elumelu, in a motion he sponsored, brought the attention of the lower chamber to the alleged vanishment of the funds at the NEDC established in 2017.
Mr Elumelu while accusing the leadership of the commission said the N100bn given to it by the federal government in the last one year disappeared with nothing on ground to show for it.
“The N100 billion so far disbursed to the commission by the federal government is said to have vanished under a year without any visible impact on the refugees nor any infrastructural development credited to the name of the commission in the whole of the north-east,” he alleged.
“The corrupt practices include high handedness by the managing director, Mohammed Goni Alkali, over inflation of contracts, awards of non existent contracts, massive contract splitting and flagrant disregard for the procurement laws in the award of contracts.
“There are allegations of how the minister of humanitarian affairs and disaster management, Sadiya Farouk, was said to have entered into an unholy deal with the managing director of the commission to illegally withdraw money for the purchase military vehicles without any recourse to the board.
“The act, which completely disregards the country’s procurement laws, must be seriously frowned at,” the Delta State lawmaker added.
When put to voice vote by the Speaker of the house, Femi Gbajabiamila, the motion was adopted and referred to the house committees on finance, procurement and NEDC. They are expected to report back to the lower chamber with their findings after eight weeks.
