NDDC Hands Over More Tools to Forensic Auditors
The NDDC Acting Managing Director, Prof. Kemebradikumo Pondei, (middle) handing over 10 Hilux vehicles and five buses, to the Commission’s auditors at the new permanent headquarters of the Commission in Port Harcourt.
From left are IMC member Evangelist Caroline Nagbo, the Acting Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Mr. Effiong Akwa and the Acting Executive Director Projects, Dr Cairo Ojougboh.
First right is the Principal Consultant, Olumuyiwa Basiru & Co, Alhaji Kabiru Ahmed.
The
Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has handed over additional working
tools to the lead consultants and 16 field forensic auditors involved in the
audit of the Commission to facilitate the on-going forensic exercise.
The NDDC Acting Managing Director, Prof. Kemebradikumo
Pondei, while handing over the additional tools, including 10 Hilux vehicles
and five buses, to the auditors at the new permanent headquarters of the
Commission in Port Harcourt, stressed that the forensic audit was not meant to
witch-hunt any individual or group.
The
NDDC Chief Executive Officer was joined in the ceremony by other members of the
Interim Management Committee, IMC, namely; the Acting Executive Director,
Finance and Administration, Mr. Effiong Akwa, the Acting Executive Director
Projects, Dr Cairo Ojougboh and Evangelist Caroline Nagbo.
Pondei stated: “The forensic audit was set
up by President Muhammadu Buhari to look into the activities of NDDC from
inception, 20 years ago, to August 2019. It is on that note that the lead
forensic consultant was appointed and 16 field forensic auditors procured to
handle the process.
“We are here to hand over more tools to
the auditors to assist them in the ongoing forensic audit of the commission.
The NDDC boss said the exercise would make
the commission more effective and transparent, stating: “We hope that at the
end of the day, the forensic audit will unravel a lot of things that have gone
wrong in the Commission. It is not a witch-hunting process, but just for us to
truly know the state of things and recommend a way forward and make sure that
the Commission delivers on its core mandate.”
In his remarks, the Acting Executive
Director, Finance and Administration, Mr Effiong Akwa, stated that the
exercise, which was designed to ensure proper accountability and transparency,
would advance the cause of the Niger Delta region.
He thanked President Buhari and the
Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, for their roles
in setting up the forensic audit, noting that it would take the Niger Delta
region a step further in terms of development.
The Managing Partner of the lead
consultants, Olumuyiwa Basiru & Co, Mr Joshua Bashiru, said the audit was
in fulfillment of the directive of the President, noting that the 16 audit
firms would be probing the finances, contracts and projects and programmes
executed by the NDDC since 2000.
Also speaking, the Principal Consultant,
Alhaji Kabiru Ahmed, said the audit exercise was a turning point in the quest
to find out what had gone wrong in the Commission since its inception.
He said: “Today signifies another important milestone
to unraveling what has happened in this organization in the last 20 years”.
Ahmed explained that the auditors were at the NDDC to
introduce the field forensic auditors involved in the process and update the
management on the progress of the forensic exercise so far.
“We
will meet with NDDC state directors and departmental directors to enable the
auditors to understand how the various units work,” he said.
Ahmed assured that the auditing firms
would carry out a transparent audit towards interrogating all the financial
activities of the NDDC.
Charles Obi Odili
Director, Corporate
Affairs
November 13, 2020.