Niger Delta Affairs Minister Godswill Akpabio has stated the ministry, under his watch, has not awarded any new contract.
The Minister, who spoke while hosting Secretary of the Interim Caretaker Committee of the (APC), Sen. Akpan James Udohedehen, in his office in Abuja, said the Ministry has undertaken and completed 73 road contracts awarded before he came on board.
According to him: “We have not given out one single contract since we came on board but we have meticulously worked on old contracts which we believe will be useful to the people. As we speak, seventy-three (roads have been completed, some dated back to 2003, 2005, 2006.
“The contactors simply went back to site, all because Mr. President instituted the forensic auditing exercise of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to reinforce accountability in governance.
“As at today, the Ministry has submitted the second Interim report of the forensic audit to the presidency in this regard”.
The Minister said the Ministry would soon invite the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and stakeholders to the inauguration of the ‘Special Operations Unit of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) Headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State “as part of measures to support the security infrastructure, sustain peace and socio-economic development within the region”.
Akpabio, who expressed belief in party supremacy, said: “We recognise the fact that without the presence of the party, the Ministers, Governor’s and other political office stakeholders would not be where they are today.
“So all of us are subject to the party and we must do everything to support the party. Therefore, everything we do in the Ministry, we try to involve the party at the National and State level”.
Source: The Nation