The Niger Delta Development Commission has denied claims by officials of the Cross River State Government that it hijacked state government projects.
The commission described the accusations as false and politically motivated.
NDDC Chairman, Barrister Chiedu Ebie, made this known on Wednesday during the commissioning of completed projects in Bayelsa State. He said it was unfortunate that some people were trying to damage the image of the commission by spreading lies for political gain.
Ebie said, “Last week, we were in Calabar to commission a state office and some roads in Calabar South and Calabar Municipality. But instead of celebrating the good work, some people tried to twist the story.”
He added that media reports wrongly claimed that due process was not followed when awarding the projects in Cross River.
The NDDC boss explained that the commission strictly follows the law before any contract is awarded. He said both the Chairman and Managing Director only sign contracts after the proper procurement process is completed, including issuing award letters and bills of engineering measurement.
“How can someone say there was no award letter? Did the contractor just show up at the site and start working on his own?” Ebie asked.
He warned politicians to stop using the NDDC for personal or political attacks, saying the new leadership is focused on development, not distractions. “Politics is politics, but leave NDDC out of it. This is a new NDDC, and we are here to make a difference,” he said.
Last week, some aides of Governor Bassey Otu disrupted the commissioning of NDDC-funded road projects in Calabar. They claimed the projects were actually handled by the state government.
The NDDC, however, insists the projects were fully executed by the commission following all necessary procedures. Ebie praised the contractors and NDDC staff who worked hard to complete the projects, saying their efforts should not be undermined by political games.
