From Joe Ezuma, Port Harcourt
The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has handed over 33 utility vehicles to the Security Committee working with the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, field forensic auditors.
This is even as a section of Ijaw yourths a kicking for the reconstitution of permanent NDDC Board. Last week the Ijaw National Congress urged the commission to put in place a new and permanent board for the commission.
Senator Akpabio, who inaugurated the vehicles at the new NDDC headquarters in Marine Base, Port Harcourt, said that they were meant to assist the security personnel working with the 16 field auditors charged with identifying and verifying the projects across the Niger Delta region.
The Minister, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Dr Babayo Ardo, said that the vehicles would help in the physical verification phase of the forensic exercise.
Dr Ardo, apart from representing the Minister, is also the Chairman of the Security Committee of the Forensic Audit.
The Minister thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for his commitment to the development of the Niger Delta region, as well as the NDDC, noting: “He approved the forensic audit to be carried out to look at all NDDC projects.”
Akpabio observed that the report of the forensic audit would guide further interventionist actions in the region. According to him: “Our initial proposal to Mr. President was to hire vehicles for the forensic exercise. But in his magnanimity, he approved the procurement of new vehicles to be deployed for the exercise.”
He said that the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs was committed to the rapid development of the Niger Delta region and the repositioning of the NDDC to effectively deliver on its mandate.
Akpabio stated: “The NDDC has had a lot of challenges, but these challenges would certainly be surmounted. We shall leave no stone unturned to see that all obstacles were cleared to enable the NDDC work effectively and efficiently.”
In his own remarks, the NDDC Interim Administrator, Mr. Efiong Akwa, re-stated the importance of the forensic audit which covers the nine states of the Niger Delta region.
He thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for approving the procurement of 33 Ford Ranger vehicles for the forensic audit to be used by the security operatives working with field forensic auditors.
