Amid the financial crisis rocking the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr Ibanga Bassey Etang, Acting Executive Director, Finance and Administration of the Commission is dead.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Mr Etang, who was appointed on the 18 of December 2019 by President Muhammadu Buhari into the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the NDDC died of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on Wednesday night.
The development has forced the NDDC to shut down operations for two weeks with immediate effect, with a directive for staff to go into self-Isolation immediately.
The statement also noted that within the two weeks, the entire offices of the Commission would be fumigated.
The statement signed by Silas Anyanwu reads: “I am directed to inform all staff that Management has approved that the Commission be shut down for Two Weeks from today 28th May, 2020.
“Consequently, all activities in the Commission including ongoing matters are hereby shutdown for the time being.
“Members of staff are to ensure that all electrical appliances in their offices are switched off before leaving the premises.
“The Head Security is by this memo directed to work out modalities to ensure the safety and security of the Commission while Director Administration is requested to fumigate and decontaminate the entire offices and premises in the Headquarters during the period.
“Meanwhile staff are enjoined to go into self-Isolation for two weeks as they await further directive from Management”.
Etang’s death is coming amid the forensic audit of the Commission ordered by President Buhari.
The National Assembly is also probing the finances of the NDDC under its present IMC.
The body of Etang has been wheeled to the ‘Holding Area’, called ‘COVID-19 Area’, of Braithwaite Memorial Hospital, Port Harcourt.