TheNewsGuru

Tag: Forensic Audit

  • NDDC: Unending Forensic Audit Designed To Frustrate Board Reconstitution – Johnson

    NDDC: Unending Forensic Audit Designed To Frustrate Board Reconstitution – Johnson

    …says auditors working in deplorable condition
    …as source alleges Rita Lori’s suit is to ensure perpetuity

    Despite the expiration of the July timeline for the reconstitution of the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and the law suit filed by Rita Lori against the termination of the audit process, a critical stakeholder from the region, Mr Kolawole Johnson, has said that the unending forensic audit was a ploy designed to further perpetuate illegality that has become the norm in the government interventionist agency.

    Sources observing the unfolding scenario alleged that the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio must have influenced Rita Lori, a popular Niger Deltan to file the said suit for alleged pecuniary gains since she was never a part of the NDDC management.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG recalls that a suit was recently filed asking the court to compel the federal government to allow the forensic team ample time to conclude its job without a board put in place.

    Mr. Kolawole Johnson, who is also the Head, Directorate of Research, Strategy & Planning at Act for Positive Transformation Initiatives, in a chat stated that prolonging the audit process helps to serve the purpose of those who have turned themselves into “feudal lords” and “toll masters” of the commission since there won’t be any board to check their unfettered access to the available resources.

    “We exposed the scheme of this forensic drama long ago, our exposition is dated back to April, 2020 but those who should have known better became willing tools in the hands of the self-appointed toll masters. We know the so-called forensic audit was long turned a shrewd tool to perpetuate illegalities and ensure the resources of the people are cornered for the benefits of the feudal lords and the very few they need to sustain the odious,” he said.

    The popular activist noted that the auditors have been deliberately deprived, neglected and denied necessary tools and resources to conclude their job based on facts made available during a recent tour of the region.

    “Less than three months ago, when we embarked on tour alongside some other organizations who graciously foot the bills, the situation of the auditors was appalling, that of the security officials posted to protect them was pitiable, no payment for months. We got useful information and data from the field that give credence to the deliberate schemes to prolong the exercise in addition to some intel.

    “We have always been busting their plans from inception, you can bear witness to that. We only decided to withdraw from the media while gathering evidences and documents for definite future use because this government has clearly shown it is not ready to fight corruption,” he added.

    He said his group was well aware of the strategy to employ Rita Lori to go to court just as it revealed previous plots by the minister to perpetrate illegalities that have held the commission hostage till this moment.

    “After all said and done, Rita Lori became the tool of escape. It is certainly not a virtuous strategy but not an entirely weak one.

    “Of course, just like we busted the schemes surrounding the death of the former member of the Interim Committee, the covid lies that led to the closure of the headquarters, the plan to bring a Sole Administrator way ahead of implementation, we knew about this Rita Lori plan before it was hatched, but what is the point talking when those empowered to act are actively involved? You only hear noise when sharing formular is not respected but the day of reckoning beckons,” Mr Johnson assured.

    A top source reacting to the failed July timeline and the lawsuit, another stakeholder who spoke on the condition of anonymity stated that the forensic audit team the minister claimed will submit its final report by 31st July, became a forgotten date and issue.

    According to him, Rita Lori is at it, to cover up the forensic audit report on NDDC and Akpabio, it’s not unlikely the instigator of the role Rita Lori is currently playing. To me, is the Script of Akpabio, to perpetuate the Interim Administration in NDDC.”

    “But I’m still sure God’s verdict is supreme to any plan he Akpabio has for the Niger Delta region and NDDC.

    “She (Rita Lori) is not part of the Interim Administration, my brother.
    But how they co-opted her or conscripted her to do their bidding by asking the Court to compel the FG and Minister to ensure forensic audit continues without a board, is the mystery.

    “No ruling yet. But the goal of using her to file the suit, is to forestall the submission of the promised forensic final report, which to my own mind, is not ready, since he Akpabio does not want the Board in place, to allow for his Interim Administration continue in perpetuity”, the source stated.

    Recently, Akpabio at a meeting with Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo and other stakeholders in the region promised to submit approved list of board members to the National Assembly following the conclusion of the forensic audit exercise instituted by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The inability of the FG to fulfill promises to constitute a board as an interim management completely negates the Act establishing the commission has made agitators in the region to issue threats of attacks on oil installations if the government failed to constitute a new board for the NDDC at the deadline initially promised which was last day of July.

  • Final forensic audit report of NDDC ready by July – Akpabio

    Final forensic audit report of NDDC ready by July – Akpabio

    Godswill Akpabio, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, says the final report of forensic audit of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) will be ready by the end of July.

    Akpabio, who fielded questions from State House correspondents on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said the final report would be submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari for implementation.

    The Federal Executive Council (FEC) had in February 2020 approved the appointment of a lead consultant for the forensic audit of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

    The minister said that action had been expedited on the process of constitution of the board of NDDC.

    “We have fast tracked the process of constituting the board; but we insist that the most important thing is not just the development of the Niger Delta region but how to reposition NDDC to ensure optimal performance as against the practice in the past.

    “So, the forensic audit of NDDC is on course and it is progressing very well and I am happy with the progress made so far.

    “And I am very certain that by end of July which is just a month and a few weeks away that the final result will be given to the president for implementation.

    “And in terms of the composition of the board of the NDDC, that of course, we have fast tracked the process and the National Assembly will soon get the list.

    “But that is not as important as the forensic audit which we are finally given a deadline which is July, that it will end.’’

    He said that he was hopeful that the new board would use the recommendations of forensic audit to work and reposition the commission.

    The minister regretted that, in the past, the headquarters of the commission was not connected to the national grid for 10 years to 15 years.

    “And we have noticed the fact that even the headquarters building that was started over 20 years to 24 years ago, nobody was interested.

    “ I think they were pursuing projects that were probably beneficial to either the staff or the management and not necessarily things that benefited the region.’’

    Akpabio said that the East-West road was another major area of concentration which the NDDC itself should have taken interest in.

    He said that he worked on federal roads when he was the governor of Akwa Ibom State.

    “And to the glory of God, the president has refunded the money that most of the states used in intervening in federal roads which means it was a good gesture and the president has reciprocated it by the fact that the monies were refunded to those states.

    “So, I think, even NDDC should have intervened in East-West road to ensure its completion because of the economic importance of the road.

    “Just three days ago, we had a mishap where one of the bridges had a problem; the approach to the bridge, it caused so much traffic jam in Port Harcourt for hours and we had to move in.

    “To the glory of God, we have repaired the damaged section of the road and traffic is flowing and we working very hard to make sure that we complete that road come next year for the benefit of the Nigerians not just Niger Delta,’’ he said.

    He said that his recent visit to the Niger-Delta region was not as result of pressure from any quarters but for the sake of peace in the region.

    According to him, the region is very critical to the economy of the country.

    The minister said that he had and interactive session with stakeholders in the region for purpose of the economy of Nigerian economy as the impact of any unrest in the region would affect be adverse.

    He added that he had set the pace by his visit to the Niger Delta as his move was being emulated in dousing the agitations in the South-East.

    “And I think the example I set is what is being emulated now in the South-East—that there is need for those of us in government to go back home and interact with people at the grassroots.

    “And then, explain things to them; so that we can stop the restiveness that we are witnessing in many zones of the country.

    “So, my going to creeks to meet the traditional rulers and ex-agitators was in the interest of not just the security of the region but the peace of the region.

    “And by implication, to ensure that critical infrastructure that can affect the economy of the nation were not tampered with; I think it was a step in the right direction,’’ he said.

  • Buhari led FEC approves forensic auditing for 12,000 NDDC projects

    Buhari led FEC approves forensic auditing for 12,000 NDDC projects

    About 12,000 Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) projects will go through forensic audit, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Godswill Akpabio said on Wednesday.

    Akpabio spoke at the end of the 13th virtual Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja.

    He said a memorandum by the ministry for the appointment of eight firms to carry out forensic audit of the projects was approved by the council.

    Akpabio said a foreign auditing firm, Ernst and Young, which was appointed in March as lead auditor is among the eight firms.

    The international firm will be in charge of programmes and activities at the headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, while seven other auditing firms will carry out the field work.

    However, the minister did not name the seven new auditors that would be paid N722.3 million for the seven to 14 days field work.

    The contract entered in March with the lead auditors (Enst and Young) was N318 million

    Akpabio explained that with the approval by FEC, “evaluation of the abandoned projects of NDDC in the last 19 years, estimated almost 12,000’’ has commenced..

    ”At the end, we will know the amount of monies that have gone into the region in the last 19 years and whether the value we have received so far are commensurate with the monies that have entered into NDDC”, he added.

    Akpabio also explained that the money being used for the contracts, which ought to have been drawn from the NDDC budget, came from the Presidency. He attributed the development to the delay in passing the commission’s 2020 budget by the National Assembly.

    His words: “The first amount that was approved for the lead forensic auditors was about N318 million and then for this batch of eight field auditors, N722.3 million. We expect to complete the field audit in the next one or two weeks.

    ”Mr. President had last year approved an estimated amount of N2.5 billion. So, everything that we are spending now will come from that estimated sum. Initially, it should have come from the budget of the NDDC, but because of the delay and the inability to pass the 2020 budget, the entirety of the amount that will be spent will come from the budget of the Presidency.

    “The job is not just forensic audit alone; you know forensic audit is different from statutory. This one (forensic audit) is done with a view to address the issues of misappropriation, bribery, corruption, fraud or anything of that sort that could have militated against the success of the agency in the last 19 years.”

    Also addressing the State House correspondents, Water Resources Minister Suleiman Adamu said the council approved N101 million augmentation for the revised estimated cost of consultancy services for the Ogbese Dam Project in Ekiti State.

    ”This project is one of the 116 projects that we inherited. It was started in 2009. And it is one of the projects we prioritised for completion since we conducted an audit of all the ongoing projects in 2016. We have been working on it steadily,” he said.

  • Forensic Audit: “Heads will roll” at NDDC – Presidency

    Forensic Audit: “Heads will roll” at NDDC – Presidency

    President Muhammadu Buhari will roll heads after the completion of the forensic audit ongoing at the Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC), a presidential aide said on Friday.

    Personal Assistant on Social Media to the president, Lauretta Onochie in a tweet on Friday night said the president was wise and would take necessary action after the audit is completed.

    Recall that the NDDC’s Interim Management Committee (IMC) is under investigation for alleged mismanagement of N40bilion.

    Recently, the Senate had vowed to reveal the truth and expose those behind the alleged mismanagement of the huge sum.

    Following the alleged sharp financial practices, Buhari had in October last year ordered a forensic audit of NDDC’s operations from 2001 to 2019.

    Commenting on the development in a tweet last night, Onochie wrote: “PRESIDENT BUHARI IS WISE.

    “NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt, Completed in less than 6 months of the Interim Management Committee set up to oversee the NDDC. Completed After 20 years!

    “A Forensic Audit on the NDDC is also going on. Heads will Roll.”

  • NDDC: Director fires back, says blackmail won’t stop forensic audit

    NDDC: Director fires back, says blackmail won’t stop forensic audit

    Dr Cairo Ojougboh, Executive Director, Projects, Interim Management Committee of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) says no amount of blackmail will stop the commission’s ongoing forensic audit.

    He said this in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Communication, Mr Gabriel Choba, on Sunday in Abuja.

    Ojougboh was reacting to reports quoting him as saying that he would leave the All Progressives Congress (APC) come 2023, and return to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The NDDC director described the allegation as “pure blackmail and campaign of calumny by those opposed to the forensic audit in the commission”.

    He added that the blackmail was “from enemies who are against my rising profile in the commission and my stance toward ensuring forensic audit of past activities of the commission.

    “The rumour, blackmail and campaign of calumny is from the pit of hell, coming from those who are opposed to the forensic audit in the NDDC that I have championed.

    “Those spreading the rumour are afraid because I changed the narrative in the office of the Executive Director of Projects,” he said.

    According to him, such rumour mongers are angry because, as Executive Director of NDDC Interim Management Committee, he goes on physical inspection of projects.

    “My insistence on quality projects has created political enemies and envy. Such enemies are doing everything possible to drag me down.”

    President Muhammadu Buhari in February ordered the forensic audit of the NDDC from 2001 to 2019, to address issues bordering on irregularities.

  • Buhari orders probe of NDDC activities from 2001

    President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered a forensic audit of the operations of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) from 2001 to 2019.

    The president gave the directive when he received governors of the states in the Niger Delta area, led by Gov. Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa, on Thursday in Abuja.

    The president said the directive had become imperative in view of the persistent criticisms of the operations of the commission.

    According to him, what is presently on ground in the Niger Delta region does not justify the huge resources that have been made available to the commission.

    He said: “I try to follow the Act setting up these institutions, especially the NDDC.

    “With the amount of money that the Federal Government has religiously allocated to the NDDC, we will like to see the results on the ground; those that are responsible for that have to explain certain issues.

    “The projects said to have been done must be verifiable. You just cannot say you spent so much billions and when the place is visited, one cannot see the structures that have been done.

    “The consultants must also prove that they are competent,’’ he said.

    Buhari admitted that developing the Niger Delta area required enormous resources compared to other parts of the country with firmer lands.

    “I am very much aware, with my experience, that projects in your area are very expensive; that is why if any job is given, we must make sure that the company is competent and has the capacity to do it well, with experienced consultants,” he added.

    The president, however, said that he would wait for the report of the audit before deciding on the next line of action regarding the commission.

    Gov. Dickson had earlier expressed the disappointment of other governors with the operations of the NDDC.

    According to him, the commission’s operations had been characterised by poor choice of projects, shoddy handling, uncompleted jobs and lack of required support for the efforts of the states and local governments in its areas of coverage.

    He, therefore, called for the repositioning of the commission in order to achieve the objectives for which it was set up.