Senate chief whip, Orji Kalu, says that with Bola Tinubu as Nigeria’s president, the days of stealing public funds were gone.

Mr Kalu said this when he spoke with journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, where he also congratulated Mr Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima on their assumption of office.

“We are planning and ready to return this country to the Nigerian people because the country must be returned to the people who must see their work,” said Mr Kalu.

He added, “And people who are coming in thinking to steal money should have a rethink because those days are over.”

The lawmaker, who represents Abia North at the National Assembly, also advised Mr Tinubu to scrap the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs because it duplicates the Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC).

“Some of the ministries and parastatals that are no longer viable, like the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and some other ministries that are not viable, should be scrapped,” said Mr Kalu.

“We have the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) like we have the North-East Development Commission (NEDC). So the Ministry of Niger Delta should be scrapped.”

The senator, however, advised that the NDDC should be repositioned to report directly to the president as stipulated by its establishment act.

“In the act, there is nowhere they said NDDC will report to the Ministry of Nigeria Delta Affairs.

“They should allow the NDDC as a commission to be able to function purely as a commission.”

(NAN)