Secret Reporters No place to hide
Secret Reporters
Top gubernatorial aspirant for the number one seat in Akwa Ibom State, Mr Nsima Ekere may have murdered sleep this December, as he currently battles his survival as Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) which has since expired according to his letter of appointment and another battle with the Anti Corruption and Integrity Forum who dragged him to court over alleged award of dubious contracts to his cronies.
The group dragged Nsima before Justice M.I. Abang of the Federal High Court, Asaba to direct him to release some documents to them. Despite several letters written to NDDC requesting for information under the Freedom of Information Act, Nsima has stubbornly refused to comply, an action which made the group to drag them to court.
In its ruling on Wednesday, Abang immediately directed Nsima to furnish the group with:
Details of the total funds released to NDDC by the Federal Government from 2016 to Date as well as how the funds were expended towards awards of contracts.
The list of newspapers and Federal Tender Journals wherein all the contracts executed and ongoing at NDDC from March 2013 till July 2017 were advertised for interested companies to participate in the bidding process as required by the Public Procurement Act No. 65 of 2007.
The names, addresses and particulars of all the companies that succeeded in the bidding process for all contracts, executed and ongoing at the NDDC from March 2013 till July 2017 together with the criteria that led to their success, to ascertain that contracts were not awarded to top management staffers of NDDC and their cronies.
Copies of Letters of Awards, Contract Specifications an d Bills of Quantity for all the contracts awarded by the board from 2013 to date
Copies of approvals by Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) or Certificates of No Objection for all contracts awarded by NDDC and executed from March 2013 till July 2017.
The list of all capital projects executed and ongoing at NDDC from March 2013 to July 2017, together with payments made for the projects, to ascertain if there has been full budget implementation and projects not inflated to the detriment of benefitting communities.
The Judge in his wisdom also directed Nsima to immediately make available details of payments made to Benchmark Construction & Projects Ltd, Milestone Allied Builders Ltd, Edendoma Stars Int’l, Isumabe U.K. Global Ventures, Neplat (Nig.) Company, Edrihide Company, Antlers Construction and Allied Works Ltd, Agh-Rown Ventures, Noan Integrated Services Ltd, De Towers Construction and Allied Services, Eastern Wrought Iron Limited, Franstine Nig. Enterprises, Brant Technologies Limited, Omozuabho Global Resources and Bugstruct Ltd for the production of plastic desks and chairs for primary/secondary schools within the nine oil producing states under NDDC
Efforts made to reach him on his mobile number 08022906*** to get his reaction proved abortive as he didn’t pick his calls.
