NDDC Writes Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, Demands Refund of ₦2.5 Billion in 14 Days




In the letter dated July 5th and seen by City News, the demand for refund from the senator stems from his alleged failure to honour a contract agreement for production and supply of desks and chairs for primary and secondary schools in the Niger Delta region.
Peter Claver Okoro, Esq, the Commission's Director, Legal Services who authored the letter said despite having fully paid for the 2017 contracts for the production of chairs and desks, the items have not been supplied to the Commission by the senator. 

The resultant effect, Okoro allowed, is that the Commission and the Niger Delta region have been deprived of the use of the desks and chairs.

Below is the letter:

NIGER DELTA DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION  (NDDC)
HEADQUARTERS
167 ABA ROAD, HARCOURT  
084 - 232650, 
July 5, 2020.

Senator Peter Nwaoboshi,
National Assembly Complex, Three Arms Zone, Abuja.
Sir,
DEMAND FOR THE REFUND OF THE SUM OF ₦2.552 305.600.00 (TWO BILLION. FIVE HUNDRED AND FIFTY TWO MILLION. THREE HUNDRED AND FIVE THOUSAND AND SIX HUNDRED NAIRA) BEING MONEY HAD AND RECEIVED IN RESPECT OF CONTRACTS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF PLASTIC DESKS AND CHAIRS FOR PRIMARY/SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN THE NIGER DELTA REGION.
The subject here above refers, please.
2. I have been directed to write to you and to state as follows
3. That sometime in 2017, the Commission awarded contracts to certain companies for the production of desks and chairs for primary and secondary schools in the Niger Delta region under the 2016 budget of the Commission. The list of the companies is attached as Annexure 'A'. The total value of the said contracts was ₦2.552.305,600.OO (Two Billion. Five Hundred and Fifty Two Million. Three Hundred and Five Thousand And Six Hundred Naira).
4. That the contracts were in furtherance of the Commission's education sector mandate as catalyst for the improvement of classroom and learning conditions in the Niger Delta region.
5. That 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 items were supplied to a warehouse described as Akuede Akwis' located at Benin Expressway, Okpanam, before Wichetech Aluminum Company.
5. That the 2019 budget of the Commission also contains the tollowing heads:
a. Provisions and supply of Plastic Chairs and Desks for Primary and Secondary Schools in Delta North Senatorial District (Lots 1-15) for  (Serial No. 21).
NDDC
b. Provisions and supply of Plastic Chairs and Desks for Primary and Secondary Schools in Delta North Senatorial District (Lots 1-20) for  (Serial No. 33).
c. Production and distribution of Desks and Benches in selected schools in the Niger Delta Region for   (Serial No. 396). 
6. That despite having fully paid for the 2017 contracts for the production of chairs and desks, the items have not been supplied to the Commission. The resultant effect is that the Commission and the Niger Delta region have been deprived of the use of the desks and chairs.
7. That I have been further directed to demand that you refund the sum of ₦2,552,305,600.OO (Two Billion, Five Hundred and FiffyTwo Million, Three Hundred and Five Thousand And Six Hundred Naira). to the Commission being the contract sums paid in respect of the said contracts within 14 days of this letter.

Please accept sir, the assurances of our highest regards and esteem.

Niger Delta Development Commission

Peter Claver Okoro, Esq.
Director, Legal Services