The federal government says it will prosecute those behind
the alleged mismanagement of funds meant for the development of the Niger Delta
region.
Abubakar Malami, minister of justice and attorney-general of
the federation, disclosed this after receiving the report on the forensic audit
of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Godswill Akpabio, minister of Niger Delta affairs, presented
the report on Thursday to President Muhammadu Buhari, who was represented by
Malami.
In 2019, Buhari ordered a forensic audit of the NDDC’s operations
from 2001 to 2019.
The development came amid allegations of fund mismanagement
levelled against Kemebradikumo Pondei, the then-acting managing director of the
commission, which led to his sack.
In his remarks, Malami said the federal government will
prosecute NDDC officials found culpable of mismanaging funds.
The AGF decried the poor infrastructural development in the
Niger Delta region, which he said does not represent the huge funds invested in
the area over the years.
“It is on record that
between 2001 and 2019, the federal government has approved
N3,375,735,776,794.93 as budgetary allocation and N2,420,948,894,191 as income
from statutory and non-statutory sources, which brings the total figure to the
sum of approximately N6 trillion given to the Niger Delta Development
Commission,” he said.
“Consequently, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved
the engagement of a lead forensic auditor, as well as 16 reputable audit firms
to conduct the audit exercise.
“The president is delighted that the auditors have now
completed this exercise and the report is today being presented.”
Malami said Buhari is aware of stakeholders’ demand for the
constitution of a new NDDC board following the dissolution of the previous one
in January 2020.
He said the president is “determined to address the
challenges militating against the delivery of the mandate of the NDDC to the
people of the Niger Delta Region”.
The minister said the federal government will engage in
criminal investigations, prosecution, recovery of funds, among other legal
actions, to recover mismanaged NDDC funds.
While expressing concern over “13,777 projects, the
execution of which is substantially compromised” as well as 362 unreconciled
bank accounts, Malami said the federal government “will in consequence apply
the law to remedy the deficiencies outlined in the audit report as
appropriate”.
“This will include but not limited to initiation of criminal
investigations, prosecution, recovery of funds not properly utilised for the
public purposes for which they were meant, and review of the laws to reposition
and restructure the NDDC, for efficiency and better service delivery, amongst
others,” he added.
Malami added that the essence of the forensic audit is to
ensure accountability in the use of public funds.
He said 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”.
The AGF also gave the assurance that the forensic audit
report of the NDDC and the recommendations will be critically analysed for
necessary actions and implementation.
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