BREAKING: N20bn NDDC Scandal: Buhari Appoints Audu-Ohwavborua MD After Sacking Akwa

About 20 months after appointing him as the Interim Administrator of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), President Muhammadu Buhari has sacked Effiong Akwa from the position with immediate effect.

Two separate news releases issued by the Director of Press, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Patricia Deworitse, said Buhari approved Akwa’s dismissal on October 20, 2022, and appointed Engr Emmanuel Audu-Ohwavborua as Acting Managing Director.

Akwa was appointed to the position in December 2020 after serving as acting executive director of finance and administration in the NDDC. He held the position during the forensic audit of the operations of the NDDC.

According to Deworitse, President Buhari subsequently “approved the constitution of a new Management Team and Governing Board of the NDDC in line with section 5(2) of the NDDC Act, 2000. The names of the nominees for the new management team and Governing Board are to be transmitted to the National Assembly for approval.”

Announcing Audu-Ohwavborua’s appointment as the acting MD, Deworitse said “President has further approved that the most senior director in the Commission should take over the running of the affairs of the Commission in line with the Federal Government Circular dated 4th December 2017, with Ref. No. 50/S. /C.2/268, pending the appointment of a substantive Managing Director and members of the Governing Board. Accordingly, Engr Emmanuel Audu-Ohwavborua (FNSE) will perform the duties of the Managing Director in acting capacity pending the appointment of a substantive Managing Director and members of the Governing Board.”

Like his predecessors, Akwa’s tenure at the NDDC witnessed corruption allegations as stakeholders pushed for the inauguration of a substantive board.

In June this year, the NDDC was accused by the Niger Delta United Congress of paying the sum of N20 billion to a ghost contractor. The group also claimed that the Interim NDDC Boss was opposed to the constitution of a new board for the commission.

But responding through his Special Adviser on Youths and Sports, Engr. Udengs Eradiri, Akwa said: “For the avoidance of doubt, the Commission states, without equivocation, that Dr. Akwa did not make the statement dubiously credited to him by this unregistered group, whose official address cannot be proven, neither did the Commission pay N20 billion naira to any ghost contractor. We, therefore, challenge the authors and fabricators of these malicious allegations to come out with proof.

“We assure all stakeholders in the Niger Delta region that the NDDC will continue to be focused and prudent in the management of its resources for the benefit of the people of the region and will remain committed to the vision of President Muhammadu Buhari.”