Row over NDDC’s purchase of vehicles for forensic auditors

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The decision of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to
hand over operational vehicles to firms conducting the commission’s
forensic audit has drawn the ire of a group of activists from the
region.

The NDDC Acting Managing Director, Prof. Kemebradikumo Pondei,
on Thursday handed over additional tools, including 10 Hilux
vehicles and five buses, to the auditors at the new permanent
headquarters of the Commission in Port Harcourt.

Pondei stressed that the forensic audit was not a witch-hunt to
any individual or group, insisting that when concluded, it would
reposition the commission.

Pondei said: “The forensic audit was set up by President
Muhammadu Buhari to look into the activities of NDDC from inception
20 years ago to August 2019. It is on that note that the lead
forensic consultant was appointed and 16 field forensic auditors
procured to handle the process.

“We are here to hand over more tools to the auditors to assist
them in the ongoing forensic audit of the commission.

“We hope that at the end of the day, the forensic audit will
unravel a lot of things that have gone wrong in the Commission.

“It is not a witch-hunting process but just for us to truly know
the state of things and recommend a way forward and make sure that
the Commission delivers on its core mandate.”

But the activists under the auspices of Niger Delta Rights
Advocates (NDRA) queried the purchase of operational vehicles for
auditors who had been hired and paid by the commission.

Spokesperson for NDDC, Darlington Nwauju, noted that in February
2020, the Federal Executive Coumcil (FEC) approved N318 million for
the lead consultant (Messrs Olumuyiwa Basiru).

He said in August 2020, another N722 million was approved by the
FG for eight field auditors to support the lead consultant besides
the N641 million paid to Clearpoint Communications to help the NDDC
identify its own projects.

He said: “Our attention has been drawn to the handover of 16
operational vehicles to the lead forensic auditor appointed by the
NDDC and 15 other sub-auditors.

“We deem this as disturbing, given the fact that the forensic
audit remains a defining moment in the history of the Niger Delta,
and is capable of causing a positive turnaround in the operational
capability and delivery capacity of the interventionist agency.

“The NDRA is sad to note that more than 12 months after Mr.
President ordered the forensic audit of the NDDC, the whole process
has become increasingly opaque, suspicious and doubtful.

“We are appalled that the NDDC would embark on purchasing
operational vehicles for auditors who should be working independent
of the apron strings of the management.

“This calls to question the sincerity of purpose and the
integrity of the entire process. If vehicles could be purchased, it
means that offices could also be hired for the auditors in the name
of providing a conducive working environment.

“Since perception counts in the discharge of public service, we
query the purpose for the purchase of these vehicles and consider
it inappropriate and therefore falls short of internationally
acceptable benchmark for doing a thorough forensic audit of the
operations of an agency so blatantly blighted with the scourge of
corruption.”