NDDC’s Forensic Audit Takes off

Posted by African Examiner Business News, Government Buz, Latest Headlines Wednesday, April 22nd, 2020

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The forensic audit of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, is aimed at restoring sanity and prudence in the management of the Commission and will ensure the rapid development of the Niger Delta region.

Speaking while handing over the preliminary report and documents of the verification exercise to the lead consultants of the audit, Olumuyiwa Basiru & Co., at the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt, the Acting Managing Director, Professor Kemebradikumo Pondei, disclosed that over 8,000 projects were captured throughout the nine states.

The NDDC Chief Executive Officer said that the report, containing contract documents covering projects captured during the NDDC’s verification exercise, marked the take-off of the critical next phase of the forensic audit. Present at the ceremony were the Acting Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Chief Ibanga Bassey Etang and the Acting Executive Director Projects, Dr Cairo Ojougboh.

Pondei noted that one of the key mandates given to the Interim Management Committee, IMC, was to prepare the grounds for the Forensic Audit of the activities of the Commission for the period 2001 to 2019.

He said: “Between January 20^th and February 7^th 2020, the Commission (under the previous Interim Management Committee) carried out a verification exercise in which Contractors with claims of genuine contractual relationship with the NDDC were invited to come with relevant documents supporting their claims, for verification.

“In all, over 8,000 projects were captured during the periods of the capturing/verification exercise and documents submitted were captured against pre-defined criteria on a data sheet per project (Contract Verification Checklist) which were thereafter uploaded on the Commission’s server and cloud-based system.

“It will enable us bring to account those who misappropriated the commonwealth. It will equip us with the relevant insight to institute procedures and processes to guarantee that the Commission realizes the vision of its founders.

“That vision can be interpreted as the rapid development of the Niger Delta to create an economy that will serve the needs of its people long after the oil resources are gone.” Pondei said