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| Senator Godswill Akpabio |
Senator Godswill Akpabio former Governor of Akwa Ibom State and now Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, has been
challenged to explain his role in the alleged diversion of N1.9billion from the water hyacinth contracts.
Some of the former militants who fingered Akpabio in the brewing controversy over the contract, wondered how the former governor could condescend so low to appropriated 400 slots of the water hyacinth to himself after accusing the former NDDC board of misdeeds.
But Akpabio has denied any wrongdoing, saying the contracts were awarded before his appointment as Minister and that he only authorized payments for jobs that have been completed by the militants to avoid crisis, Pointblanknews reports.
Spokesman of the aggrieved former Militants, General Ebi, in a statement, made available to Pointblanknews.com called on President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the anti-graft agencies to immediately swing into action over the matter.
General Ebi's statement reads in part, “The 21st century youths of the Niger Delta and agitators with conscience condemn the unprecedented and widespread fraud concerning the payment of the water hyacinth to the youths and beneficiaries of the Niger Delta.“We therefore call on the honourable minister of Niger Delta AffairsSenator Godswill Akpabio and the Acting Managing Director of the NDDC to come out clean and exonerate themselves from this primitive and shameful looting and diverting of the funds meant for the youths to themselves.
“It is so pathetic, disgusting and shameful that our so called leaders are the real problem in the Niger Delta, if a distinguished leader that was once the governor of Akwa Ibom state for 8years and is currently the minister of Niger Delta affairs will condescend so low to have appropriated 400 slots of the water hyacinth to himself after accusing the former NDDC board of misdeeds.
“1.9billion naira was approved by the honourable minister of Niger Delta affairs Senator Godswill Akpabio for the payment of the water hyacinth as an empowerment scheme to the various beneficiaries and youths of the Niger Delta.
“But so far, what we have heard from the Director of Environment Mr Boniface Sese, who is in charge of compiling the list, is that the master list of beneficiaries has been cancelled since the former board was dissolved and was directed by the present acting MD to compile a new list of just 100 slots for the youths, 400 slots for senator Godswill Akpabio, 300 slots for the current acting MD, but him Boniface Sese the Director of Environment refused to disclose how many slots were allotted to him. However, our findings reveal that all his staff and aides are allotted 5 slots each and some directors, 10 slots.
“We therefore use this medium to call on the attention of the president and commander in chief of the federal republic of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari to direct the EFCC and the ICPC to immediately swing into action and we also call on the honourable minister of Niger Delta affairs Senator Godswill Akpabio to come out clean and exonerate himself as his
reputation is being dragged to the mud to defraud the youths of the Niger Delta,” the statement noted.
Akpabio was only recently linked to employment scandal at the NDDC where over 300 persons were allegedly employed without the board approvals.
The Minister had swiftly backpedaled when the illegal recruitment exercise was exposed.
However, when contacted, Akpabio through his spokesman, Anietie Ekong, said the Minister only intervened in ensuring the payment of an already completed contract when the Militants staged a protest recently.
According to him, “the story is not correct. It is mudslinging from people who have lost out. It is a payment made to companies.
“No individual gets such N3million payment. Payments for all those types of contracts go straight to companies and not individuals. These are jobs that have been done before Akpabio got to that office,” Ekong told Pointblanknews.com
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