I never borrowed N1bn as Information Commissioner – New NDDC MD

The acting Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Ibim Semenitari, has denied borrowing N1billon while she served in the immediate past Administration of former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi.

Semenitari served as the Commissioner for Information and Communications from 2009 to 2015.

Reacting to the allegation by Dr. Austin Tam-George, who was recently appointed her successor, Semenitari in a statement signed by her Special Assistant on Media, Bekee Anyalewachi said that no commissioner had the authority to borrow money from banks and emphasised that she never did.

“No commissioner can do that. I did not”, she stressed.

The NDDC MD, who described the allegation as “a definite and unfortunate lie” said it ran against financial guidelines and service rules for ministries to borrow directly from banks.

Semenitari, who is also a financial analyst with several years’ experience in financial reporting, explained that only a state government can borrow.

“No ministry can borrow from any bank. It is against financial guidelines and service rules. Only a state government can borrow and there was no project in the Ministry of Information requiring government to borrow,” she said.

#NDDC