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Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has stressed the urgent need for a forensic audit and public hearing on the activities of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development as regards its operations so far, particularly the COVID-19 palliatives.
CUPP alleged that the Ministry and the Minister, Sadiya Umar Farouq, mismanaged billions of naira on purported COVID-19 palliatives and social intervention schemes including disbursement of N20,000.00 to poorest Nigerians and feeding of school children at home during Coronavirus lockdown.
CUPP, in a statement signed by the Chairman, Contact and Mobilization Committee and a member, Steering Committee, Olusegun Peters, noted that the forensic audit will be an eye opener to unlimited corruption in government Ministries, Agencies and Parastatals.
He insisted that addressing the obvious cankerworm in governance will serve as first step in fighting corruption in Nigeria which will require the support of all Nigerians.
Meanwhile, CUPP demanded that NDDC’s acting Managing Director, Prof. Kemebradikumo Pondei, who collapsed on Monday while being “grilled” by legislators be returned to complete his presentation and clear grey areas on how billions of naira belonging to the commission was squandered under his watch.
It said: “The directive by Speaker of House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, that Pondei would no longer appear before the committee is ill-conceived and diversionary, particularly when members of the National Assembly were said to have procured 60 percent of the contracts awarded by the Commission.”
CUPP insisted on thorough forensic audit and unfettered public investigation of the activities of the NDDC that resulted in obvious underdevelopment of the oil rich Niger Delta region.
“There should be no sacred cow and no cover up of any culprit, no matter how highly placed. We asked that Mr. Speaker should not interfere in the committee’s public hearing. It smacks of legislative recklessness and his lack of confidence in the committee he setup.
“Nigerians are desirous to know how public funds allotted to NDDC were spent despite unprecedented theatre of the absurd emanating from the public hearing,” it requested.
