NDDC Audit Report Submitted; 13,000 Projects Abandoned In Niger Delta
The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio has said 13,000 projects were abandoned in the region since the creation of the Niger Delta Development Commission.
Akpabio said this on Thursday while submitting the forensic audit report on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to President Muhammadu Buhari, through the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, in Abuja.
“The report of the audit committee showed that there are over 13,000 abandoned projects in the Niger Delta and even before the submission of the report some contractors have returned to site on their own and completed about 77 road projects.
“Although the exercise had a chequered history, I thank Mr President and all those who supported and ensured its success,” Akpabio said.
He said the exercise was not done to witch-hunt anyone but to ensure that the huge sums of funds committed to the area yearly are justified.
He lamented that the region remained backward since 1958 despite of successive governments’ efforts through the creation of various interventionist programmes and projects.
The lead auditor, Kabir Ahmed, in a brief overview of the report, said that the team recommended managerial as well as structural changes, chief of which is the downsizing of the NDDC’s board.
He said to reduce cost, the team recommended that members of the team should henceforth be appointed on a part-time basis.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the appointment of members of the board of the NDDC had been suspended until the release of the audit report.
Akpabio said this on Thursday while submitting the forensic audit report on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to President Muhammadu Buhari, through the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, in Abuja.
“The report of the audit committee showed that there are over 13,000 abandoned projects in the Niger Delta and even before the submission of the report some contractors have returned to site on their own and completed about 77 road projects.
“Although the exercise had a chequered history, I thank Mr President and all those who supported and ensured its success,” Akpabio said.
He said the exercise was not done to witch-hunt anyone but to ensure that the huge sums of funds committed to the area yearly are justified.
He lamented that the region remained backward since 1958 despite of successive governments’ efforts through the creation of various interventionist programmes and projects.
The lead auditor, Kabir Ahmed, in a brief overview of the report, said that the team recommended managerial as well as structural changes, chief of which is the downsizing of the NDDC’s board.
He said to reduce cost, the team recommended that members of the team should henceforth be appointed on a part-time basis.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the appointment of members of the board of the NDDC had been suspended until the release of the audit report.
