COVID-19: We Used N1.5bn To Care For Ourselves - NDDC MD

The acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Kemebradikumo Pondei, has management and staff the commission spent N1.5 billion on themselves to cushion the impact of COVID-19 on their lives.

Addressing to senators who had accused the commission of mismanaging some N40bn on Thursday he said that of the N3.1bn spent as COVID-19 Relief Fund, only N1.5bn was spent on staff.

Part of the Relief Fund, Pondei said was spent on youth of the Niger Delta as palliatives to cushion the effect of COVID-19.

He said, ”The youth were given palliatives to help cushion the effect of the pandemic on the people. The youth were idle and to avoid violence, they were paid.

“Five million for youths and five million for women and five million for people living with disabilities in each senatorial district.”

Senators had accused the commission of spending N3.1bn as COVID-19 relief fund between October 2019 and May 2020.

According to them, ”N10 million was paid to one person, N7 million to two people, N5 million to three people, 148 people took N3 million each, 157 people got N1.5 million each, 497 people got N1 million each and 464 people were paid N600,000 each.”