FG receives NDDC’s Forensic Audit Report ,promise to implement recommendations
The federal government on Thursday received the much awaited Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).Forensic Audit Report from the Forensic authors and pledged to implement it’s recommendations.
The report was received on behalf of the federal government by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami (SAN) who read a remark prepared by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio submitted the Forensic Audit Report on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Akpabio said that the exercise which had a checkered history had revealed that over 13,000 abandoned projects in the Niger Delta have been abandoned.
The region had remained backwards since 1958 inspite of successive governments efforts through the creation of various interventionist programmes and projects, he 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 and thanked Mr. President and all those who supported and ensure its success.
He observed that the audit exercise has made some of the contractors to return to site on their own and completed about 77 road projects.
Lead Forensic Auditor, Alhaji Kabir Ahmed, in a brief overview of the report, stated that the team recommendation includes managerial and 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 part time basis.
The appointment of members of the board of the NDDC has been suspended until release of the audit report.
While disclosing that oil companies in the country as still in default of their contributions to the Commission, Ahmed said that the government should withdraw the license of any oil company which default for a period of three years.
The report also recommended the deduction of 15% ecological fund at source and to be paid to the commision because both the federal and state governments have failed to make payments to the commission.
To improve it’s revenue collections, the audit exercise recommended that the Federal Inland Revenue Services should collect funds on behalf of NDDC from oil companies operating in the country