Reps insist, no going back on NDDC probe

The House of Representatives has reiterated its commitment to a thorough probe of the Niger Development Commission (NDDC). Chairman, House Committee on NDDC, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who stated this, in Abuja, on Tuesday, said the parliament will not mortgage the future of the people of Niger Delta.

He claimed that since the House resolved to probe the NDDC, there have been all manner of threats and blackmail against the members of his committee.

Regardless, he said the parliament was determined to go ahead with the investigation in the interest of the country and the Niger Delta.

He dismissed allegations by a member of the NDDC Interim Management Committee (IMC) that contracts were awarded to the members of committee.

Tunji-Ojo, who insisted that he is not involved in any contract in the NDDC challenged the commission to approach any of the antigraft agency with empirical evidence to substantiate its claims.

He said contrary to the position of the NDDC interim management, the House was not against the forensic audit of the commission ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari.

He said forensic audit, notwithstanding, the National Assembly owes the country a duty to investigate various allegations levelled against the IMC.

Meanwhile, Chukwuma Umeoji, has urged the Federal Government to re-open the country’s border, as a means of mitigating the economic effects of COVID-19.

Umeoji, who represents Aguata Federal Constituency of Anambra State, in a statement, on Tuesday, said the continued closure of borders was inimical to government efforts to grow the local manufacturing sector as companies that collected grants from the Federal Government have markets for their products across ECOWAS countries.

He said border closure has rendered inter-state trade among ECOWAS nations impossible.

He said Nigeria has made its point by the temporary closure of her borders, saying the present economic realities favour a re-opening of the borders to stimulate the economy and save “few functional industries” in the country from collapse.

“At a time of global economic recession, Nigeria should rethink on the border closure to stimulate regional trade among ECOW- AS countries. As a major economic power in the subregion and host of ECOWAS secretariat, it does not show leadership for Nigeria to be seen to be working against free trade among ECOWAS countries,” Umeoji said      (Daily Sun)