By Douglas
Dodiyi-Manuel
Indeed, times have
changed, and the youth of this generation are learning and imbibing what may
have easily been apostate to the youth of prior generations. In my recent
article, The Pharaoh knows no Joseph in Forensic Audit, I quoted the legendary
Malam Nuhu Ribadu, when he said, “when you fight corruption, corruption fights
back”. Sadly, it is an unbelievable dawn of the apostate in our land.
These are times of
blurry perspectives, when men can no longer differentiate between right and
wrong. Our youth have gone commercial with a mind of negotiable commitment.
They have no social or political persuasions, but are vacant and available for
the crusade of corruption.
Upon the resumption of
his second term, President Muhammadu Buhari ordered a forensic audit of the
Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC – and hell vulcanized. In apparent
global glare, corruption is fighting back. In certain instances, corruption
fights with an allusion that what is good and honourable is in fact
questionable.
It was before a global
audience that the Point-Blank News alleged that the NDDC IMC has within two
months disbursed Two Hundred Billion Naira (N200,000,000,000), whereas, the
NDDC had only received less than fifteen percent (15%) of the said figure. The
sad things, is that these tales of putative disbursements are not only false
and misleading, but are also exacerbating ignorance.
Furthermore, sequel to
the special request by the Government of Ondo State, and the Lassa Fever
outbreak in Edo State, upon which on the 16th of April 2019, the NDDC entered
into a contract pursuant to the Public Procurement Act of 2007 with a company
for the supplies of Lassa Fever Protective Kits – the contract value was
N2,425,242,248.00.
The company fulfilled
their contractual obligations through the NDDC process, but the NDDC before the
expiration of the Prof Brambaifa administration could not fulfil her own
obligation of prompt payment.
Like what has become
the culture of State Governments, where contractual obligations are treated
with levity, more so those of a different administration, the Prof Pondei IMC
could have easily ignored the contract, and exposed the NDDC to the
consequences of ensuing litigations. But seeing that extant requirements have
been fully complied with, they chose to honour the contractual agreement
between the NDDC and the said company, and released the payment to the company
- and believe me, more payments would be released to as many companies that
have legitimate cause to be paid.
Seeing that payment has
legitimately been made, the merchants of lies congregated again, and without
thorough investigation, they took to the media to sensationalise the fact of
payment with an allusion of corruption.
Something apparently
remarkable in the Buhari administration is the rule of law, and that is what
has curtailed the arrogance of impunity.
In terms of the Public
Procurement Act, payments that exceeds 80 days should attract interest – owing
to this, the contract was fully paid for.
It is also noteworthy
that owing to the need to establish the dawn of a responsive administrative
protocol, that will aid the efforts of the Buhari administration to entrench a
culture of responsibility, patriotism and respect, the Honourable Minister of
Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Godswill Akpabio has shown determination and capacity
to raise a standard against the advancement of corruption and vested interest.
It is therefore
immensely tragic that in an effort to frustrate the forensic audit of the NDDC,
a commendable Interim Management Committee is daily vilified through the
instrumentation of ignorance, joblessness and hunger – the poverty of our youth
has thus become a tool of coercion to sustain the reign of mediocrity and
ignominy – believe me, the tide will turn!
What President Buhari
saw in Sen. Akpabio before appointing him as Chairman of the Presidential
Monitoring Committee, is his doggedness, resilience, tenacity and the
persuasion to make society work – NDDC will work!
May I therefore advise
the traducers of IMC and the Honourable Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, to
deploy their steam and strength shunning out legislative Bills that enjoy the
coloration of contemporary developmental innovations.
With the ferocious
advancement of corruption, Sen. Godswill Obot Akpabio is, and represents the
standard raised to preserve the integrity of our society - the forensic audit
will be exhaustive.
Douglas
Dodiyi-Manuel is the General Coordinator and Chairman, Free River Social Media
FRSM
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