Forensic Report: NDDC Received N6Trillion Yet 13,000 Projects Uncompleted In Niger Delta – Buhari

…Akpabio Submits Forensic Report To Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has regretted that the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) failed to bring commensurate development to people of the Niger Delta despite receiving over N6 trillion from the Federal Government.

Buhari said this after receiving the consolidated report on the forensic audit of the NDDC on Thursday.

The Minister of Niger Delta, Godswill Akpabio, presented the report to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, who represented President Buhari.

Buhari said he was glad that the report was out, adding that the administration was determined to upgrade the living standard of the Niger Delta people and by extension, the entire country.

He said that since the inception of NNDC – an agency established to take development throughout Niger Delta – FG has disbursed about N6 trillion to the commission.

He added that due to corruption, over 13,000 projects in the area remain uncompleted with multiple bank accounts for the purpose of receiving funds.

“It is imperative to state that, the call for the audit by the people of the Niger Delta Region arose from the huge gaps between resources invested in the region visavis the huge gap in infrastructural, human and economic development prevalent in the region.

“It is on record that between 2001 and 2019, the Federal Government has approved N3, 375, 735,776,794.93 Three Trillion, Three Hundred and Seventy Five Billion, Seven Hundred and Seventy Six Thousand, Seven Hundred and Ninety Four Naira, Ninety Three Kobo as budgetary allocation and N2,420,948,894,191.00 Two Trillion, Four Hundred and Twenty Billion, Nine Hundred and Forty Million, and, Eight Hundred and Ninety Four Thousand, One Hundred and Ninety One Naira as Income from Statutory and Non Statutory Sources, which brings the total figure to the sum of approximately Six Trillion Naira given to the Niger Delta Development Commission.

“The Federal Government is particularly concerned with the colossal loss occasioned by uncompleted and unverified development projects in the Niger Delta Region, in spite of the huge resources made available to uplift the living standard of the citizens.

“We have on record over 13777 projects, the execution of which is substantially compromised. The federal government is also concerned with multitudes of Niger Delta bank accounts amounting to 362 and lack of proper reconciliation of the account,” he said.

Buhari, through the AGF, assured Nigerians that government will not fail to look at the report and prosecute those found wanting.

“The essence of the forensic audit is to ensure probity and accountability in the use of public funds. It is against this background that the Federal Government will without hesitation strategically implement all aspects of the audit exercise that will promote probity and greater prosperity for the Niger Delta Region and Nigeria as whole,” Buhari said.

The speech was delivered at the conference room of the AGF with dignitaries and military officers present.