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IMC Alleges N11.5b Smuggled Into NDDC’s Proposed 2020 Budget

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A whopping sum of N11.5bn worth of contracts were smuggled into the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) 2020 budget, an official has alleged on Sunday.

According to the Interim Management Committee (IMC) the “non-essential contracts” were for the supply of desks and chairs to schools in the Niger Delta.

Acting Managing Director of the agency Kemebradikumo Pondei, and Director of Projects Cairo Ojuogboh accused Senate committee chairman Senator Peter Nwaoboshi and Huse of Representatives Chairman Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo,of being direct beneficiaries of  agency’s contracts

On Sunday, Ojuogboh according to a statement by NDDC Corporate Affairs Director, Charles Odili, queried the rationale behind the “N11.5bn non-essential contracts” for the 4,800 chairs and desks, wondering where they  would be deployed in.

He said: “This year alone, they put N11.5billion in the budget for the supply of desks and chairs to schools in the Niger Delta region. Where are the schools that you are going to put N11.5 billion worth of chairs and desks in the region?”  He however did not state the budget in question since that of 2020 is yet to be passed by the National Assembly.

Ojougboh assured that the commission would resume the inspection of its projects across the Niger Delta in spite of “distractions.”

He added: “We have had enough of distractions and we have decided not to be bogged down anymore. We will go about our work with renewed vigor. We are taking a special interest in the distilling projects, because, heavy rains are coming and some areas will be flooded.

“We will visit all the locations because no payments will be made until our engineers, quantity surveyors and the Project Monitoring and Supervision (PMS) have approved.”

He clarified that the Pondei-led  IMC  had only paid for verified jobs that were done over the years.

Ojougboh also reassured that   the 29-kilometre Ogbia-Nembe Road with spurs linking 14  communities in Bayelsa State would soon be inaugurated.

In his petition to tee IG, Pondei alleged that seven contractors were paid N232,209,600 each for 4,800  chairs and desks that were not supplied to the commission but to a private warehouse in Delta State.

According to Pondei, the warehouse operator had refused to release the chairs and desks to the commission, thereby denying schools in the region their use.

The petition dated July 29, 2020 and tilted  “Re: Forwarding of documents in respect of on-going investigation”  was  sighted by The Nation in Abuja.

It reads in part: “The commission has already forwarded some documents to you in assisting with your investigations.

“In addition to the documents given to your team, I hereby forward the attached documents to you.

“In or about 2017, the commission awarded contracts to certain companies for the production of desks and chairs for primary and secondary schools in the Niger Delta  . The list of the companies is attached.

“The contracts were awarded in furtherance of the commission’s education sector mandate as learning condition in the   region.

“Instead of supplying the chairs and desks to the commission’s warehouse in Port Harcourt or to any of the NDDC offices in the nine Niger Delta states, the contractors supplied them to a warehouse….”

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Dangote Foundation Donates 80,000 Bags Of 10kg Rice To Communities

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The Aliko Dangote Foundation has donated 80,000 bags of 10kg rice to support vulnerable communities in Lagos State.

The Special Adviser on New Media to the Lagos State Governor, Jubril Gawat, disclosed this on his X handle on Wednesday.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; founder and chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote; and Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria Holdings Plc, Femi Otedola, were present at the event of the food distribution.

Dangote has reportedly spent about N15bn on the food intervention programme with beneficiaries across Nigeria.

The food intervention programme by his foundation was first launched in Kano State on Saturday, and will see over one million bags of 10kg rice distributed across the 774 local government areas of the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory.

Here are pictures from the event.

We appreciate Dangote for this kind gesture.

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36-Year-Old Lady In Shock After Her 19-Year-Old Daughter Welcomed A Baby Without Her Knowledge

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She wrote: “My 19year old daughter made me a granny at the age of 36 😭😭 im still shook and traumatized

She hid the pregnancy for 9months up until her water broke. After God fear ama 2000.

Amid so many reactions from netizens, she also wrote;

“Lol some comments amuse me .. I’m not ashαmεd or embarrassed that I had my daughter at the age 18 , yes it was not planned but she has been the biggest blessing to me

I’m a mad that she got pregnant, yes any parent would be . Because I still wanted her to achieve more.

I’m also mad that she hid it from me because I could have planned better . And as for that little baby boy , I will love and raise him as my own son . He’s a huge blessing to me and the family.”

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Chinese Man Sentenced To Death By Hanging For Killing Nigerian Girlfriend

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Geng Quandong, a Chinese man standing trial for the murder of his Nigerian Girlfriend named Ummukulsum Buhari, has been sentenced to death by hanging by a Kano High Court, Daily Nigerian is reporting.

On September 16 2022, Mr Quangrong stαbbed his 23-year-old girlfriend to death at her family residence in Janbulo quarters, Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano.

According to him, He said he had spent millions numbering upto 60 million naira on her.
All the expenses he made included buying her a car worth 10 million naira, Getting her a house worth 4 million naira, Opening a business worth of 18 million naira. Plus other millions he spent planning for their weddings and extra spendings he’s done for her.
And he did all that with hopes that they will get married to each other, But she married someone else instead. So he was really heartbroken which led to his actions.

Mr Quandong, 47, was found guilty of the offence of culpable homicide punishable with death under Section 221 of the Penal Code Law of Kano State and convicted accordingly.

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