The Federal Executive Council has approved N722.3 million for eight field forensic auditors to audit the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
They are to embark on field trips to all states in the region. This formed part of decisions reached during this week’s cabinet meeting.
The Federal Executive Council had earlier approved the appointment of a lead forensic auditor sometime in March and is now to be joined eight other forensic auditors who will work the field in the Niger Delta region.
They are to evaluate projects abandoned by the NDDC over the course of 19 years estimated to be almost 12 thousand projects.
In the light of controversies that have risen over the past weeks and revelations of financial impropriety by management of the NDDC, from probes in the National Assembly, it is pertinent to ask why it took so long for
the field forensic auditors to be engaged
The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Godswill Akpabio, explains that when he took office there was no budget for NDDC
He says it was President Buhari who came to the rescue of his ministry by directing and approving that the payment for the forensic exercise should be undertaken through the Presidency
Council also approved the revised estimated total cost of consultancy services for the ongoing Ogbese Dam Project in Ekiti State.
The project is one of the 116 projects that the Ministry of Water Resources has prioritized for completion following an audit of all its ongoing projects in 2016
