NDDC: Nigerians Are Expecting To See Buhari’s Next Step – Transparency Group

A group, Transparency And Accountability Advancement Group, has noted that Nigerians are eagerly waiting on President Muhammadu Buhari’s to make a decision on the probe of the Niger Delta Development Commission by the National Assembly.

The group in a statement by its Director of Information and Strategy, Damian Nwikinaka, said with the revelations springing up, the president needs to stop acting like he does not see the level o corruption staring his government in the face.

It said it is worrisome, the on-going contract scams, financial recklessness, corruption, abuse of office and mismanagement being perpetrated at the NDDC.

The statement reads”Nigerians are amazed that several days after incontrovertible revelations and confessions by the Interim Management Committee regarding large scale fraud, extra-budgetary expenditure, abuse of procurement laws and mismanagement of the Niger Delta Development Commission, President Muhammadu Buhari is yet to act. The Senate in particular did a thorough investigation. It set up an independent ad hoc committee comprising senators outside the membership of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta. The Adhoc Committee was headed by Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi of Ekiti State.

It noted that an extensive investigation of the allegations of malfeasance against the IMC was carried out by the Committee.

It said the Commission’s account statement with the Central Bank of Nigeria, received presentations from the CBN, Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Office of the Auditor General of the Federation, the Bureau for Public Procurement and other relevant government agencies, as well as confessional statements, both oral and written from the IMC members, showing how the NDDC IMC blew N81.5 billion in just a couple of months on fictitious contracts, frivolities, and in breach of extant financial and public procurement laws.

“Indeed, Nigerians are eagerly awaiting the action of Mr. President on the worrisome on-going contract scams, financial recklessness, corruption, abuse of office and mismanagement being perpetrated at the NDDC. President Buhari cannot continue to act like humongous corruption has become the synonym for his Government.

The group further asked the president to stop delaying actions and emboldening the Niger Delta Minister, Chief Godswill Akpabio, and the IMC to continue the pillage of the NDDC, which was clearly exposed during the National Assembly investigations as part of their oversight duty.

The group said “President Buhari cannot continue to act like all is well at the NDDC under the IMC. He should take a decision on these issues that have been critically examined and highlighted in the Senate report and the Senate resolutions. These resolutions reflect the wishes and desires of the Niger Delta people, and Nigerians generally, on the way forward for the NDDC.

“President Buhari should restore Accountability at the Commission by dissolving the IMC, implement the other resolutions of the Senate and direct the Anti-Corruption agencies to prosecute all persons indicted