The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has empathised with the acting Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Kemebradikumo Pondei, following his collapse during the ongoing N40 billion probe.
Gbajabimila, who made a surprise appearance at the venue of the hearing on Monday in Abuja, also apologised for the poor ventilation in the hall.
According to the parliamentarian, Gbajabiamila had instructed doctors at the National Assembly to see to Pondei’s speedy recovery.
He said that documents submitted by the ailing Acting Managing Director will be used to carry out further investigations.
The Speaker, however, said that the investigation “was about fact-finding and that the facts must come out for the good of the Niger Delta people.”
He wished Pondei, speedy recovery and empathised with members of his family and entire NDDC family.
Recall that Pondei, slumped Monday during interrogation by the House of Representatives Committee on NDDC and was promptly rushed to the hospital.
A lawmaker, Shehu Koko, had asked the Acting NDDC MD to explain the N642 million paid to a company known as Clear Point Communication.
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The lawmaker also asked the NDDC chief to explain the N536 million paid to Save Life Campaign in the oil-rich region and to prove that they were all budgeted for in the 2019 Appropriation Act.
Pondei told the lawmakers that the N642 million paid to Clear Point Communication was to train locals and to help locate and identify NDDC projects in the area.
He, however, could not confirm that the payments were budgeted for, asking the lawmakers to give him time to provide the budget.
As the drilling wore on, he collapsed, sweating profusely and was rushed out of the venue of the hearing.
The hearing was then adjourned for 30 minutes.
When the hearing resumed, Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, and Majority Leader, Alhassan Doguwa, joined the committee members to continue with the sitting.
