The Acting Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Prof. Kemebradikumo Pondei, has warned that the commission will not pay for projects that are not fully verified.

He gave the warning when a delegation from Ogboin-Ebe Unity Forum in Bayelsa and Delta States, led by the President, Ambaiowe Betebekurogha, visited him at NDDC’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Pondei said: “We are aware that a lot of contractors are being owed for work they have done. Verification is ongoing. The Acting Executive Director, Projects (EDP) of NDDC, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, has just returned from projects site assessments. When the budget is passed, we will start to pay those that deserve to be paid.

“We are going to attend to only the jobs that have been duly verified and found to have met specifications, because the days of cheating our people have passed. Any contractor who has not completed his project will not be paid.”

The NDDC chief also lamented that some “ghost” jobs had been discovered, while others did not meet the specifications of the commission, but he assured that efforts were being made to right the wrongs of the past.

He said: “I know that Amassoma has quite a number of jobs. I can assure you that some of them are receiving attention. I am aware that other communities have projects as well. I can assure you that we will give equal attention not just to Ogbein-Ebe communities, but to the entire Niger Delta region.

“The marginalised communities of the Niger Delta region will henceforth receive equal attention and given opportunities to develop.

“The Interim Management Committee (IMC) of NDDC is here to reposition the commission and also to bring development to the Niger Delta region. When we came, we met a lot of obstacles. We do not also know how long we are going to spend here, but for the time we are here, we will do everything within our powers and with the resources available, to change the narrative of the Niger Delta region.”

Pondei also stated that with the support of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, the IMC would be able to achieve a lot of things.

Earlier in his speech, the President of Ogboin-Ebe Unity Forum stated that members of the group came to demonstrate that they were solidly behind NDDC’s acting managing director and the IMC.

Betebekuiogha said: “We have come to thank President Buhari for appointing one of our worthy sons from Ogbein-Ebe to be the Acting Managing Director/Chief Eexcutive Officer of NDDC and we assure him as we know that he is capable, because he is an achiever. He is hardworking, he is result-oriented and also very experienced, having served in several positions successfully.

“We believe he will deliver. He is going to perform excellently. We want to encourage members of the IMC to be galvanised and work together as a team. We also pray for peace, productivity, unity and even development of the Niger Delta region.”