The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has tasked the audit firms conducting the forensic audit of the activities of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to come up with a report that would help reposition the commission.
Akpabio, who gave the admonition while inaugurating the last batch of eight forensic auditors in Abuja on Saturday, further asked them to ascertain the activities and utilisation of funds by the NDDC since inception till August 2019.
The minister said, “In spite of the misplaced reservations and resistance by various interest groups from within and outside the Niger Delta region, we are today witnessing another important milestone in our quest to ensure the actualisation of the presidential directives to undertake the forensic audit of the NDDC, covering a period of approximately 20 years from 2001 to 2019 against all odds.”
Addressing the auditors, the former governor said, “I have no doubt that your firms have gone through critical and in-depth assessment by relevant authorities to have come this far in order to understand the enormity of the task ahead. “The forensic audit, to all intent and purpose, should be seen as an opportunity to assess our performance in the region and not a witch-hunt.
“It is considered as an important project by this administration because it will, apart from righting the wrongs, also provide a strong base upon which a new Niger Delta Development Commission will emerge.”
