NDDC speaks on payment of palliatives to Niger Deltans

The Niger Delta Development Commission has disowned the alleged ongoing payment of palliatives to Niger Deltans as a result of the Coronavirus Disease.

The Director of Corporate Affairs of the intervention agency, Charles Obi Odili, stated this on Saturday in a statement.

Odili stated: “The Management of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has been inundated with calls by members of the public who are being deceived into believing that the Commission is paying money as palliatives.

“We wish to alert Niger Deltans to the fraudulent activities of dubious individuals who have been asking people to submit their bank details so as to benefit from the monetary palliatives from the NDDC.

“The fraudsters have been using the social media to deceive vulnerable members of the public who have been battling to survive the scourging effects of the Coronavirus, COVID-19 pandemic.

“It is true that NDDC distributed medical aids and food items as palliatives to ameliorate the sufferings of the people in the nine states of the Niger Delta region.

“The Commission, indeed, set up a committee to handle the distribution of the palliatives to cushion the effects of Coronavirus on our people, especially the vulnerable ones.

“We also made available N775 million to support the nine states in the Niger Delta region, in addition to releasing another N270 million as palliatives for women, youths and physically challenged persons in the region.

“Our committee on the distribution of palliatives has since concluded its assignment. Thus, anyone luring people to submit bank details for palliatives is a fraudster and should be treated as such.

“The public is encouraged to report such persons to security agents for appropriate sanctions.”