IMO ASSEMBLY: Assembly gives NDDC 21- day ultimatum, summons ex- commissioner, others

LEGISREPORTS NG – Dissatisfied by the
alleged shrouding of information on
projects either ongoing or executed by
the authorities of the Niger Delta
Development Commission (NDDC) in Imo
State, the 26 -member Imo State House of
Assembly (IMHA), presided over by the
Speaker, Hon. Benjamin Uwajumogu, has
given the Chairman and the Managing
Director of the commission, 21 days to
supply the assembly authorities with
detailed document containing the list of
projects executed in the state from 2003
through 2013. The ultimatum begins
from today, Wednesday, September 18.
Also demanded from the NDDC officials
to enable the lawmakers carry out their
oversight functions include award of
contracts’ sum, level of completion
status; and payments made.
Deputy Speaker of the assembly, Hon.
Donatus Ozoemena (Oru West), in
proposing the motion, said it was the
duty of the Assembly to ensure that the
state received its share of the required
number of projects from the commission
as a member of the Niger Delta states and
oil producing state.
Regretting that the way things were going
on in the agency was incoherent on the
required information which required
urgent work.
Adding his voice to the issue, the
member representing Ideato South, Hon.
Ikechuchkwu Amuka, said it was
regrettable that most contractors
abandoned the projects awarded to them
for several years, which has led to them
being unexecuted.
In another development, the Assembly
members have directed the following
government officials to report to it on
Thursday, September 17, 2013 to answer
some questions from the lawmakers.
According to a summons letter signed by
the Clerk of the House/ Permanent
Secretary, Chris Duru, a Lawyer, those to
appear are the immediate past
Commissioner for Commerce and
Industry, Mr. Uche Best Mbanaso, the
Accountant General of the state, Mr.
George Eche, a Director in the Ministry
of Commerce and Industry, Mrs. Obiageli
Amadi -Obi, a Lawyer, and the Chairman
of the Imo state Universal Basic
Education Board.
Others summoned are the Permanent
Secretaries of the Ministries of Education
and Finance, the Managing Director of
Roche Nigeria Limited, a contracting firm
executing large contracts in the state.
The directive warned that they should
not send any proxy representation, but
should mandatorily attend in person.
This report was prepared by our reporter
in Owerri