President Muhammadu Buhari has urged the National Assembly and other agencies investigating the misuse of national resources at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), to fast-track their work and collectively ensure there is transparency and accountability from individuals and institutions entrusted with public funds.
Buhari expressed his strong determination to get to the root of the problem undermining the development of the Niger Delta and the crisis bedevilling the vehicle to drive the transformation, the NDDC.
“I am determined to get to the root of the problem undermining the development of the Niger Delta, in spite of the enormous national resources dedicated to this annually. This administration remains committed to bringing rapid, even and sustainable development to the region,” the President said.
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Buhari spoke on the ongoing probe in NDDC following an attempt by police to arrest the NDDC former managing director, Joi Nunieh in Port Harcourt. Also, there were showdown between the NDDC interim MD and the House of Representatives in Abuja.
Nunieh was scheduled to travel to Abuja today to give testimony before a Senate panel probing the finances of the NDDC.
A House of Reps committee is also engaged in a similar exercise.
Nunieh and the Minister of Niger Delta, Godswill Akpabio have engaged in embarrassing mudslinging in recent times as Nunieh accused Akpabio of asexual harassment and alleged contract fraud.
In a statement Thursday, President Buhari said he has given directives for better coordination among security and investigating agencies with the National Assembly to ensure that the administration’s effort to bring sanity, transparency and accountability to the management of the large amount of resources dedicated to development of the Niger Delta sub-region is not derailed.
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In his reaction to the unfolding drama, which include attacks and counter attacks between and around persons, institutions, and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), President Buhari expressed his strong determination to get to the root of the problem undermining the development of the Niger Delta and its peoples in spite of enormous national resources voted year after year for this singular purpose.
According to the directive, auditing firms and investigative agencies working in collaboration with National Assembly Committees to resolve the challenges in the NDDC must initiate actions in a time-bound manner and duly inform the Presidency of the actions being taken.
The President also directed timely sharing of information and knowledge in a way to speedily assist the administration to diagnose what had gone wrong in the past and what needs to be done to make corrections in order to return the NDDC to its original mandate of making life better for people in Niger Delta.
President Buhari said the administration wants to bring about “rapid, even and sustainable development to the region.”
The President gave firm assurance that his administration would put in place a transparent and accountable governance framework, not only in the NDDC but in all other institutions of government.
