WATCH........#NDDCFraudFacts: “We spent N1.3 to take care of ourselves not N1.5 billion” – Prof. Pondei

The acting managing director, MD of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Prof Daniel Pondei, has stated that they spent N1.3 billion for COVID-19 palliatives and not N1.5 billion as widely publicised.  watch abeg
 https://www.instagram.com/tv/CC3byjrBkRy/?utm_source=ig_embed
Earlier today, Prof Daniel Pondei fainted during a public hearing with members of the House of Representatives over alleged misuse of over N81 billion.
He was however revived after scores of NDDC officials including Dr Cairo Ojuogboh seated close to him promptly came his rescue.
Pondei was however ferried out of the venue of the investigative hearing chaired by the chairman of the House Committee on Niger Delta, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo at about 1.0 pm, The Guardian reports.

Before he fainted, Prof Daniel Pondei, was answering questions on the alleged misuse of funds in the NDDC.
Earlier this month, Pondei, reportedly admitted that the commission spent N1.5 billion for staff as ‘COVID-19 relief funds’.
Members of the House then asked today where he got the powers to spend such amount of money.
Responding to the question, Pondei said they didn’t spend N1.5 billion as widely reported, but N1.32 billion.
When asked where he got such powers to spend the huge amount of money, he said he would need to check on that as he couldn’t lie to them under oath.

Professor Kemebradikumo Pondei, acting managing director of the NDDC, today disclosed that the Commission under his stewardship, paid N641 million to one Clear Point communication, to help employ persons to help identify projects being executed by the commission in the region.

When asked to explain what the money was paid for and if it was budgeted for, Pondei said

''The money was paid to Clear Point Communications for a variety of purposes all related to the Forensic audit. There are 185 local government areas and each of them was budgetted for N3.46 million. One, allowances for coordinators per local government areas, training for the coordinators, setting up of information desks for the coordinators. These coordinators are the people to identify the sites of all the projects in the NDDC area.''

When asked if what he meant was that he contracted Clear Point to help identify the projects in NDDC areas, Pondei said

They will get local people in the local government areas to identify these sites where NDDC projects are because when they go for inspections, people are not able to locate these projects and so we needed local people who would guide''

He said those who were employed would also be trained as ''Pointers for Projects''.

''Clear Point has been a consultant in the NDDC before I even came in. They are putting help desk, communication desks in all the places to locate the projects'' he said

He however could not account for N536 million paid to a company to run a campaign tagged "Save Life campaign". Pondei appeared shocked as he could not even recall he approved the project.