NNDC: Performing MD, Pondei, has been ailing

Tony Akowe, Abuja

The Interim Administration Committee (IMC) of the Niger Delta Improvement Fee (NNDC) has mentioned the Performing Managing Director, Prof Kemebradikumo Pondei, who slumped on the public listening to of the Home of Representatives Committee on NDDC on Monday,  has truly been ailing.

Pondei slumped whereas answering questions from members of the committee.

Director of Company Affairs of the Fee, Charles Obi Odili, in a press release in Abuja mentioned the situation of the Performing MD solely deteriorated throughout the listening to.

The assertion reads: “The Fee needs to reveal that Prof Pondei has been ailing for the previous two weeks. This morning, his situation deteriorated, and his medical doctors suggested towards attending the listening to.

“Nevertheless, he ignored his medical doctors’ recommendation due to the realisation that his traducers will use his absence on the listening to to soil his title and repute.

“He thought he might make it by the listening to and care for his well being later. Because it turned out, his medical doctors had been proper. Prof Pondei is in a steady situation at a clinic in Abuja.

“Given this incident the Fee needs to make the next: That Prof Prondei grew to become Ag Managing Director of NDDC on February 20, 2020.

“By Could 5, the 2 arms of the Nationwide Meeting ordered a probe of his tenure of precisely 74 days on the time, two third of which was spent underneath COVID-19 lockdown circumstances.

“Prof Pondei, because the Managing Director of the Fee, has an official obligation to reply for the actions of the Fee like what occurred between 2008 – 2012 which is the topic of one other listening to primarily based on the auditor normal’s report for the interval.

“It will, nonetheless, be unfair to carry him personally accountable for acts which happened when he was not the pinnacle of the Fee.

“When the 2 arms of the Nationwide Meeting referred to as for a probe, it was over a lacking N40 billion. The Fee took the uncommon step of publishing all funds made by it underneath Prof Pondei. No organisation in Nigeria, public or personal has ever received to that stage of transparency in our nationwide historical past.

Learn Additionally: Pondei explains suspension of NDDC staff

“As this publication undermined the claims of his accusers, the topic of the general public listening to modified to ‘monetary recklessness’. Whereas this may seem insignificant, it amounted to altering the aim posts to smear a clear man. Whereas misappropriation of N40 billion is a matter demanding goal proof, the query of monetary recklessness is one open to subjective judgement.

“The Fee is delighted that Hon Olubunmi Ojo, the Chairman of the Home of Representatives Committee on NDDC has recused himself from the listening to. On the finish of the day, everybody has to reply for his function within the misappropriation of the assets of the Fee.

“It’s this seek for solutions that led President Muhammadu Buhari, on the request of the 9 governors of the area, to institute a forensic audit to probe what occurred to the assets of the Fee from 2001 thus far.

“The Prof Pondei led IMC has dedicated to the success of that train. Whereas we thought there will likely be a combat again by those that dipped their palms within the cookie’s jar, we by no means anticipated this stage of boldness and malevolent aggression as witnessed by accusers at listening to and their paid brokers by all of the media platforms.

“The Fee is taking part on the listening to, though it thinks that seeing to the conclusion of the forensic audit will serve the way forward for the Fee and the Niger Delta area greater than the probe of 74 days of actions.”