NDPHC, EFCC partner to tackle fraudulent contractors

The Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have entered into a partnership to tackle dishonest contractors and enforce discipline.

Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Executive Chairman of EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, in Abuja, the NDPHC Managing Director, Jennifer Adighije, said her management team is determined to uphold strict compliance with regulations and laws and uphold the tenets of transparency.

A statement signed by the Technical Adviser (Media) to NDPHC MD, Adesanya Adejokun, quoting the MD on Thursday, said, “I have professional experience cutting across the private and public sectors, having last served in the procurement department of Central Bank of Nigeria, which entrenched in me the culture and habit of following due process.”

She promised to ensure the culture of due process is strictly enforced at the company.

The NDPHC boss said the visit was to familiarise themselves with the agency and then seek Olukoyede’s cooperation while being guided by extant laws and regulations.

The collaboration between the two organisations would also help to tackle dishonest contractors and enforce discipline.

Responding, the EFCC boss congratulated Adighije and other executive directors on their recent appointment and tasked them with adhering to the principles of integrity and accountability, noting public service “is a privilege that demands an unwavering commitment to probity” and explained that corrupt practices by public officials would be revisited even after vacating offices.

According to him, EFCC and NDPHC are responsible for two of Nigeria’s most urgent issues, which are corruption elimination and power supply, which will significantly help in the nation’s advancement towards development.

“I advise you not to do anything you cannot defend tomorrow. We have seen situations where people were recalled 20 years after leaving public service to answer for what they did while in office. Positions of trust demand utmost transparency and accountability.

“If you fix power and energy, you have taken care of 77 per cent of Nigeria’s problems. Corruption as well, if we get it right, Nigeria will be out of its troubles,” he said.

While commending NDPHC’s efforts to uphold due process and readiness to improve its regulatory compliance, Olukoyede pledged EFCC’s support to NDPHC if any of its contractors fail to fulfil their contractual duties explaining that going forward, the EFCC and NDPHC’s collaboration would discourage dishonest contractors and enforce discipline among them.

“If you have awarded contracts and some people have not performed, or if some of your power stations have been given to certain people to maintain but they have violated financial laws, procurement processes, or other regulations, let us know,” Olukoyede said.