The Niger Delta Civil Society Coalition (NSCDC) has criticized the George Uboh Whistleblowers Network for invoking the Freedom of Information Act and the Fiscal Responsibility Act to demand documents concerning alleged financial mismanagement at the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).
NSCDC urged the sponsors of the George Uboh Whistleblowers Network to cease their actions, asserting that there has been no financial mismanagement within the NCDMB.
Comrade Amechi Ogbonna, a representative of NSCDC, expressed disappointment over a letter dated February 21, 2025, and signed by the network’s Chairman, George Uboh. Ogbonna emphasized that they had no insight into the operations of the NCDMB.
Uboh’s letter, addressed to NCDMB’s Executive Secretary, Omatsola Ogbe, demanded that all documents regarding allegations of an approved N7.7 billion consultancy fee and over N580 million spent on a five-day training program in London, including logistics and allowances, be provided within seven days. Failure to comply, Uboh warned, would result in legal actions such as protests and court proceedings.
In his statement, Ogbonna dismissed the George Uboh Whistleblowers Network as fraudulent, labeling the allegations against NCDMB as baseless.
Ogbonna stated, “The NCDMB board has already rejected these unfounded accusations in a widely circulated press statement. Those behind this malicious campaign have continued to recruit journalists from national media to propagate their falsehoods. To clarify, neither the board nor the executive spent the amounts mentioned in the false claims.”
He further explained that NCDMB had organized a strategic workshop involving heads of government ministries, departments, and agencies related to the oil and gas industry. The workshop aimed to align efforts in the implementation of the Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act of 2010, in line with the Nigerian Content 10-Year Strategic Roadmap.
The workshop, which occurs every two years, involves key stakeholders to ensure effective policy and regulatory implementation. Ogbonna assured that all expenditures related to the workshop and other NCDMB projects followed proper financial and procurement guidelines.
