Delta Community Urges EFCC To Probe Alleged N245m NDDC Road Project Scam
RESIDENTS of Onicha Quarters, Ubulu-Uku, in Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State, have called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to reopen investigations into an alleged misappropriation of ₦245 million released for the rehabilitation of the Onicha-Uku/Onicha-Ugbo Road, a project awarded by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in 2015.
The community staged a peaceful protest, accusing NDDC officials and contractors of abandoning the project after receiving funds. They said the road, which connects major routes linking Abuja, Lagos, and Asaba, remains in deplorable condition nearly a decade after the contract was awarded.
Community Cries Over Neglect and Deception
Speaking during the protest, the community’s secretary, Osaji Ephraim Iwebunor, said residents had been deceived multiple times by people claiming to be NDDC contractors.
“In 2019, some persons came pretending to be workers sent by the Senator representing Delta North at the time, Peter Nwaoboshi, who was also on the NDDC Senate Committee. They arrived with bulldozers and equipment, only to disappear days later without doing any work,” Iwebunor said.
He added that the so-called workers only appeared to give a false impression of progress to an EFCC team that was visiting Delta State to inspect abandoned NDDC projects.
Call for EFCC Investigation and Government Action
Iwebunor urged the EFCC to reopen its file on the road project, describing it as “a scam and a conduit pipe for siphoning public funds.”
He also appealed to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to direct his running mate and then Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, to rehabilitate the road — which he said was already captured in the 2022 state budget.
Community Threatens Political Consequences
The community, which claims to have consistently supported the PDP since 1999, warned that its over 6,000 votes would no longer go to any party that ignores their plight.
“It is not a threat, but we are ready to make a categorical statement at the polls. We’ve enlightened our people on how best to use their PVCs this time around,” Iwebunor stated.
Residents also appealed to both the state and federal governments to address the road’s poor condition, which has caused accidents, restricted access to farms, and stifled local trade.
