TheCable

Ben Ayade, governor of Cross River state, says he does not know about projects executed by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in the state.

Speaking on Friday while hosting Godswill Akpabio, minister of Niger Delta affairs, in Calabar, the state capital, the governor said the NDDC is isolated from the state.

Ayade told Akpabio, who had listed key projects of the commission in the state, that he was shocked by the programmes mentioned by the minister.

Some of the projects listed under the NDDC intervention programmes were the Atimbo-Akpabuyo road, Akim I road project, Ogoja road project, Ogoja water project, Calabar urban road project.

“I am shocked when I hear you reel out all the programmes, activities and projects ongoing in Cross River state and as the governor, I don’t know about them; I am not aware of these projects,” Ayade said.

“It’s to tell you how isolated the NDDC is from the state governments. These projects are not known to us.”

The minister said the commission is battling with corruption in the awards of projects.

On Thursday, the NDDC interim management committee said it had uncovered fraudulent contracts worth N1 trillion.

The committee said the 1,921 “emergency contracts” were awarded by the previous management.