Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Engr. Abubakar Momoh has said the ministry owes contractors over N50 billion from the ongoing, executed and abandoned projects.
Momoh stated this when he appeared before a joint committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to defend his 2024 budget where he also explained how the 2023 appropriation performed.
He said the budget of the ministry is meager, adding that so many things they are supposed to do are being performed by other agencies.
The minister said an amnesty programme that deals with disarmament is now carrying out programmes of development and empowerment.
“There are a lot of programmes going on in the Niger Delta which ordinary should be done by the ministry,” Momoh said, adding that for the 2023 budget performance, their budget estimate was N14.5 billion but that even though N11 billion was later approved, only N4.2 billion was released which according to him, is too small to even embarked on a road project.
“A total of 14.5 billion was the estimate including capital, recurrent, and overheads but what came to the ministry was just N4.2 billion out of the N11 billion that was approved. The 2023 budget performance is put at 37 percent.
“The N14 billion budget estimate is meagre to meet the requirements of the ministry. How many kilometers of road can N4 billion construct? Momoh asked.
“We have a lot of abandoned projects. We have a lot of completed projects. Those that have been awarded and have not been paid are worth over N50 billion,” Momoh said, adding that they are money to be paid on projects they are awarded.
“Since I took over, I’ve gotten over 2000 requests from people asking for training in the Niger Delta. If I have the required resources, be assured that I will do a lot,” Momoh said.
He said he is not aware whether President Bola Tinubu is aware of the N50 billion debt in his ministry, stating that he has not had the opportunity to discuss the issue with the President.
Chairman of the Senate committee, Babajide Ipinsagba, said the government must do everything to ensure that the people that are being owed are settled, pointing to the fact that most of them collected loans to do the projects.
Ipinsagba said the problem is the cash plan, adding, “If a contractor completes his job, it is expected that once the Minister approves you should get your money in two weeks.
“But you have to upload the approval and another person will determine if there is money to pay for the job done.”
Also, the House committee chairman, House of Representatives Committee Chairman on Niger Delta, Ugonna Ozurigbo, said the minister should look at projects he can complete and commission and not embark on projects that will later be abandoned.
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