Nigerians Mock NDDC Boss For Spending N1.5Bn on Staff COVID-19 Palliatives

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News, News Across Nigeria, News From The State, Uncategorized Friday, July 10th, 2020

By Nwa Diokpa

Nigerians on Twitter have expressed their frustration as the acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Kemebradikumo Pondei, disclosed that the commission spent N1.5 billion for staff as ‘COVID-19 relief funds’.

Pondei disclosed this at the investigative hearing on the N40 billion corruption allegation against the commission.

He stated that that part of the fund was for the Niger Delta youths.

Pondei said: “The youth were given palliatives to help cushion the effect of the pandemic on the people. The youth were idle and to avoid violence, they were paid.

“Five million for youths and five million for women and five million for people living with disabilities in each senatorial district.

‘The remaining fund was spent on staff of the commission.

“We used it to take care of ourselves. We are NDDC, we need to take care of ourselves too.”

This revelation has since generated discussion on Twitter as Nigerians took to their micro-blogging scheme to condemn this financial recklessness.

Here are some tweets below:

Akiim Reid Ado @ReidAkiim wrote: “1.5b sounds like 15k to this man, na wa o.”

Hhibee@Hhibee1 wrote: “A palliative is meant to alleviate someone’s suffering. Covid 19 palliative is meant for people who have lost income. How would NDDC justify collecting full salaries yet pay themselves billions as “palliatives”. That is essentially a Covid 19 bonus and not palliative. Smh.”

IMoLE OmOLuAbi of NaZaReTh @ItsOmoluabi wrote: “1.5B for palliative so many kids out they in the street without food to eat… Oga which thunder do you prefer South Korea atomic bomb or Biafra Amadioha Which way NIGERIA????

Babatunde Oyeyemi™ @baboyed1000 wrote: “Everybody is a thief. Such a huge amount as palliative? Everybody needs to visit the isolation centres so that we can have a share of the palliatives. Nigeria is not balance at all.”

Abdul-Aziz Na’ibi @jrnaib2 wrote: “If I become president I will be spending N10 million on haircut weakly 😂.”

Ayemojubar@ayemojubar wrote: “😂 HushDDC!”

kelechi@fabulouskelechi wrote: “This government is the warehouse of corruption….”

@SethBundle007 wrote: “No problema… Kindly provide the break down of the spendings, that will suffice for now. 1.5BILLION!!! Is that a toilet role to clean #Covid19?!!! Development no Apabio Hah!!!.”

Otaigbe Imadegbelo@oteghe wrote: “Everyone in power #Hushmoni Nigeria.”

Jiggy man Famzy @FAMADEVICTOR wrote: “I hate this country. Somebody get me out. This pandemic could have waited till 2022😭😭😭. I’m surrounded by animals fam.”

Ladymamalade@Ladymamalade2 wrote: “Meanwhile @NDDCOnline students have been abandoned without school fees or maintenance funds since 2019 and some 2018.”

Philip Agi @Philslaw1 wrote: “When David Cameron said ‘we are fanatically corrupt’ we screamed.”

Edwilly @youngdeacon17 wrote: You guys ate 1.5b while the masses got only sms. Thunder will fire all of u to ur 10th generation.”

Uwaya Isimemen@Uwayaisi wrote: “1272 NDDC staff plus the police unit shared this much as palliative among themselves. Only if #30,000 was given to 50,000 less privileged Nigerians, NDDC would have at least ended up putting a smile on their faces with a genuine prayer from their hearts. Heartless indeed.”