Buhari orders operational vehicles purchase for NDDC auditors

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the purchase of 33 vehicles for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Forensic Auditors to enhance their movement into the nine states of the Niger Delta region.

Director of Press, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Patricia Deworitshe, attributed this to the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, while flagging-off the Project Site Verification exercise by NDDC Forensic Auditors, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

Akpabio added that in view of the likely security challenges the Auditors may encounter in the course of their assignment and the volatility of the region though currently peaceful, a Security Committee comprising the Nigeria Navy, Nigeria Army, Nigeria Police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Department of State Security (DSS) has been constituted and inaugurated to provide needed security to all the Audit Firms and properties throughout the duration of the exercise.

According to the Minister, the mandate of the Forensic Audit, amongst others, are to undertake a complete forensic Audit Exercise of the NDDC projects across the nine states of the Niger Delta Region, covering 2001-2019; responsible for the review of governance and organisational structure of the Commission, as well as develop operational guidelines and a fit for purpose organogram that would transform the NDDC to globally competitive institution and block leakages.

He said: “You are all aware of the interest generated by both stakeholders and other interest groups when Mr. President granted approval for this audit exercise. As a result, NDDC became the most talked about establishment in recent time. The Auditors have so far identified over 12,000 projects scattered across the region to be physically verified in the coming days.

“I am aware that some contractors have gone back to sites they abandoned so many years ago after the approval for the audit exercise. This is one of the benefits of this forensic audit of the Commission,” he said.