NDDC budget defence ends abruptly at n’assembly

The 2020 budget defence of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) ended abruptly at the senate on Tuesday.

The interim management committee (IMC) of the commission had appeared before a joint panel of the national assembly.

Kemebradikumo Pondei, acting managing director of the NDDC, had failed to reconcile some differences in the 2019 budget performance of the commission.

The 2019 budget expired in May.

The managing director, who said the commission spent N122 billion but later revised N264 billion, could not respond to a question on what the NDDC has left.

“What you have here, spent is N122 billion from what you said from the actual money you received, you received N305,570,683,529.87,” Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, house chairman on NDDC, said.

“If you received N305 billion and you spent N122 billion, what you are telling us now is that the available fund as we speak now will be N183,315,748,214.58.

“Would that be a available to be brought forward? What I’m saying is just a simple basic accounting question. You said you generated N305 billion. It is just a yes or no question.”

Pondei responded, saying: “The expenditure is actually N264 billion.”

Tunji-Ojo then asked: “So what you are saying on your summary page is wrong?”, but the managing director responded: “The real break down is in the appendix.”

Peter Nwaoboshi, chairman of the joint panel, said they would work with Pondei’s figures.

Nwaoboshi said the panel would accept the figures if the managing director appended his signature to the document.

“If you are not ready to sign it, we take it that you have not given us a budget performance for the consideration of your 2020 budget,” the chairman said.

“It means that you have to go and prepare your budget performance for 2019 and then come back.”

After a few minutes, Pondei responded hesitantly: “I’d sign it please.”

But Nwaoboshi later announced that the IMC is pleading to go and reconcile its figures.

“He is now appealing to go back with his team to look at the whole report and come back. As the chairman of this committee with due respect to everybody, I hereby adjourn,” he said.

But some lawmakers from the house of reps began shouting: “Point of order, point of order.”

The screaming lawmakers urged the panel to go ahead with its proceedings.

Boma Goodhead, a house of representatives member, was one of those who wanted proceedings to continue.

However, Nwaoboshi hit the gavel to bring the proceedings to an end. No date was given for the IMC to report back.

The senate is currently probing the commission for allegedly mismanaging N40 billion.

VIDEO: Chaos in @NGRSenate over @NDDCOnline's 2020 budget pic.twitter.com/Z4qzrQTIdN

— TheCable (@thecableng) July 14, 2020