Pondei Petitions IG over Contractors’ Failure to Deliver N1.6bn NDDC Contract

Pondei Petitions IG over Contractors’ Failure to Deliver N1.6bn NDDC Contract

By Deji Elumoye and Udora Orizu

The Acting Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Prof. Kemebradikumo Pondei, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IG), Mr. Mohammed Adamu, over the refusal of seven contractors to supply chairs and desks worth N1.625 billion fully paid for by the commission for primary and secondary schools in the nine states of the Niger Delta Region.

In a six-page petition dated July 29, 2020, entitled “Re: Forwarding of documents in respect of ongoing investigation,” Pondei claimed the contractors were each paid the sum of N232,209,600.00 to manufacture the chairs and desks.

The MD said instead of supplying the chairs and desks to the commission’s warehouse in Port Harcourt or to any of the NDDC’s offices in the nine Niger Delta states, the contractors supplied them to a warehouse described as Akuede Akwis, Benin Expressway, Okpanam before Wichetech.

According to him, the resultant effect is that the commission and the Niger Delta region have been deprived of the use of the desks and chairs and neither have the contractors refunded the monies paid on the items to the commission.
He also mentioned the names of the contractors and the amount they were allegedly paid.

The petition read in part, ”The commission has already forwarded some documents to you in assisting with your investigations.

In addition to the documents given to your team, I hereby forward the attached documents to you. In or about 2017, the commission awarded contracts to certain companies for the production of desks and chairs for primary and secondary schools in the Niger Delta Region.”

”The list of the companies is attached.

The contracts were awarded in furtherance of the commission’s education sector mandate as a learning condition in the Niger Delta region.

Instead of supplying the chairs and desks to the commission’s warehouse in Port Harcourt or to any of the NDDC offices in the nine Niger Delta states, the contractors supplied them to a warehouse described as Akuede Akwis, Benin Expressway, Okpanam before Wichetech.”

”The warehouse is located in Delta state and has no relationship with the commission. Waybills evidencing delivery of the desks and chairs at the said warehouse are hereby attached.

”The company names, project title and the amount paid are as follows; Noan integrated services (production of plastic desk and chairs for primary secondary schools in nine states of NDR) N232,209,600.00. De towers constructions and allied services Ltd (production of plastic desks and chairs for primary secondary in nine states of the NDR) N232,209,600.00, Franstine Nigeria Enterprises (production of plastic desk and chairs for primary secondary schools in nine states of NDR) N232,209,600.00. Edrihide company (production of plastic desk and chairs for primary secondary schools in nine states of NDR) N232,209,600.00. Isumabe Uk global (production of plastic desk and chairs for primary secondary schools in nine states of NDR) N232,209,600.00. Benchmark construction and project Ltd (production of plastic desk and chairs for primary secondary schools in nine states of NDR) N232,209,600.00. and Millstone allied builders Ltd N232,209,600.00.”

“Despite having been fully paid for the contracts, the contractors and the owner of the warehouse have refused to release the chairs and desks to the commission.”

”The resultant effect is that the commission and the Niger Delta region have been deprived of the use of the desks and chairs and neither have the contractors refunded the monies paid on the items to the commission as money had and received. It is on the strength of the foregoing that the NDDC invites you to take a look at the fact culminating in this petition.”

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