• Friday, March 29, 2024
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FG recovers N3.7bn from NDDC directors, contractors – Buhari

Buhar

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday said law enforcement agencies had recovered over N3.7 billion as well as various assets worth billions of naira from contractors and former directors of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

This is as he revealed that the government had also placed a lien on assets worth over N76 billion, currently under investigations

The President disclosed this while inaugurating the NDDC Advisory Committee, comprising the nine governors of the Niger Delta region and the ministers of Niger Delta Affairs and Environment.

Specifically, President Buhari said: ‘‘To date, the EFCC and other agencies of Government have recovered over N3.7 billion in cash as well as various assets worth billions of Naira from some contractors and former Directors of the Commission.

‘‘Furthermore, I am told that Government agencies have placed liens on over N6 billion of assets, which are being investigated.’’

The President told the committee that these abuses of the past clearly showed the need for strict and diligent oversight, going forward.

He, therefore, charged them to discharge the new assignment diligently and effectively, working closely with the relevant ministries, adding that he looked forward to seeing positive changes in the affairs of the Commission as well as on the ground in the Niger Delta region.

President Buhari recalled that in 2016, his administration launched the “New Vision for the Niger Delta (NEVIND)”, aimed at bringing sustainable peace, security, infrastructure and human capital development to the region.

He said the medium to achieve this noble objective was through the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, NDDC and the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP).

The president, however, expressed regret that in the past these institutions were unable to deliver their mandates due to mismanagement.

‘‘As a result, the people of the Niger Delta were left with abandoned infrastructural projects and substandard social programmes which were designed to improve their living conditions.

‘‘It is to reverse this trend that I approved, in February 2020, the constitution of a 10-Man Presidential Monitoring Committee (PMC) as provided for in Section 21 of the NDDC Establishment Act.’’

He noted that the PMC, to be chaired by the minister of Niger Delta Affairs and its members are drawn from various MDAs, would focus on monitoring the operations and activities of the commission, and would be reporting to him.

In the same vein, the president said the inauguration of the NDDC Advisory Committee was in line with the provisions of Section 11 (I) of the NDDC Establishment Act, explaining that the Committee is charged with the responsibility of advising the Board and monitoring its activities.

Justifying the decision to inaugurate the Committee ahead of the reconstitution of the NDDC Board, President Buhari said: ‘‘This is to enable us to develop insights into the affairs of the Commission which will properly guide the Board when reconstituted once the Forensic Audit exercise on the Commission is concluded.

‘‘You may recall that the Federal Executive Council, on 5th of February, 2020 approved the appointment of the Lead Forensic Auditors. I am told they are concluding their pre-engagement activities and should be ready to commence work soon’’.

Speaking on behalf of the members of the Advisory Committee, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State thanked the president for inaugurating the Committee and granting the request of the governors, from the region, for a forensic audit of the NDDC.

The governor expressed the hope that the result from the forensic audit would help streamline activities of the NDDC with a view to putting it on course to deliver on its mandate to the people.

Addressing State House Correspondents after the inauguration, Okowa said the committee will brief after their second meeting in Rivers State slated for April 2nd, where it will be in the position to advise on what they ought to do and to find ways of collaborating with the NDDC to ensure that “we are able to undertake programmes and projects in the interest of the region and for the nation.”

On the forensic audit, it was disclosed that 55 companies were now going through evaluations, and majority of them were international firms.

He said the lead consultant for the forensic audit had divided the region into 16 lots based on the volume work, saying the lot assigned to the states in Niger Delta would be involved in project auditing and to show if they had had value for money in terms of the quality of project done.

Minister of Niger Delta Development, Godswill Akpabio said they would also do personnel auditing and recommend governance structure for the region in order to check future excesses.

“I want to commend President Buhari’s administration for the boldness to carry out this audit because this is the first time any president has ever thought of looking at what accrued to the commission and how the money were being utilised.

“It has always been like rumour that the place was like an ATM and a cesspool of corruption but this is the first time we are availing the veil of incorporation to know those who actually own those companies and those who actually contributed to the wastage that we have seen over the years.

“The EFCC and other agencies have seized about seven houses including a hotel and the owners have willingly handed over, admitting that the proceeds where illicit funds from NDDC and cash running into billions have also been recovered and we have placed a lien on N76 billion worth of certain properties and cash in various banks.

“Even though the process is not yet out in the public, a lot of process is being made and I am quite certain that at the end of the exercise everybody will be happy.

“We are also going to have the fourth national council of stakeholders of the Niger Delta region to discuss the way forward for the region including proper briefing in writing of this forensic audit and what will happen to the region thereafter.

“The exercise will commence from March 29th and will last all the way for 4th of April in Port Harcourt and the governors have also agreed to use one of those days to have another major meeting of the advisory committee.”