The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has dismissed allegations that it owes its security workers more than six months’ wages.
NDDC Director of Corporate Affairs Pius Ughakpoteni said in a statement issued in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Wednesday.
Security workers attached to the commission threatened Tuesday to hold a peaceful protest over non-payment of their salaries.
Ughakpoteni said the NDDC was not directly responsible for paying the salaries of its security workers, who he says are hired by the commission’s contractors.
“We are aware of reports in the media that our security workers were threatening to protest the non-payment of their monthly salaries.
“We want to state that the commission hires security companies, who in turn employ and pay security guards to work in our various offices to safeguard our facilities.
“These service providers are certainly not owed anything for six months, as claimed in media reports,” he said.
He said NDDC-contracted security companies in Delta and Rivers states had informed the commission in their report that security personnel had been paid as of August 22.
“There is no basis for companies to owe their workers back wages, especially since the contract they signed with NDDC addresses that.
“The clause establishes that the company must have the capacity to pay its staff for at least two months in case of any delay by the commission.
“Therefore, we want to assure the security workers that the money destined to pay their salaries was not diverted to other companies as alleged,” he added.
Ughakpoteni said the commission has a zero-tolerance policy towards corrupt practices and urged members of the public who have evidence of such unlawful practices to contact the NDDC for immediate action.
He said the security officials’ threat to protest at the commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt was unacceptable.
According to him, the NDDC led by Samuel Ogbuku has laid the foundation for rapid economic development and a sustainable governance structure for the effective functioning of the commission.
“We reaffirm that strengthening the principles of responsibility and transparency in our activities is part of the drive behind the new management of the NDDC.
“We assure our stakeholders and the public that the NDDC leadership will not be distracted by their determination to do things differently in the development of the Niger Delta,” he said.
(YAYA)
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