The Buhari Media Organisation, BMO, has says the revelations from the ongoing forensic audit of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), were clear justification of President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision on the audit.
According to BMO, the fact that NDDC’s
interim management committee is also digging into what it described as
fraudulent contracts between 2017 and 2019, showed that the President is not
prepared to provide cover for anyone found wanting.
A statement by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy Madueke, said this reflects the President’s zero-tolerance for corruption, and his expectations from his political appointees.
“Since the President set up an interim management for the NDDC and ordered
a forensic audit, Nigerians have been treated to all sorts of revelations about how the agency had been largely unable to discharge its responsibilities in the Niger Delta region.
“We also saw how some members of the political elite had tried to put a wedge in the committee’s activities by insisting that a Board that had been named by the President be sworn in.
‘If the NDDC board had taken office, chances are that the forensic audit
could have ended because the Internal Management Committee (IMC) would have
stopped working.
“But today, President Buhari’s decision to stick with his position on the Dr Joy Nunieh-led IMC is being proved to be well-thought-out, considering the rot that is regularly filtering out since the audit of NDDC operations began.”
BMO pointed out that the fact that the committee has dug up fraudulently
awarded contracts, worth N1.3 trillion, between 2017 and 2019 is evidence that there is no sacred cow when it comes to the President’s war against corruption.
“From the outset, it was clear that this administration was not keen to
protect anyone who may have run foul of the law when President Buhari
expanded the probe period to cover NDDC activities in his first term in
office.
“This was an unprecedented move in a polity where governments are reluctant
to beam the searchlight on Ministries, Departments and Agency (MDAs) on
their watch.
“What we know is that if anyone is found culpable in any fraudulent acts
that impacted negatively on NDDC’s ability to deliver on its mandate to the
people of oil-rich communities, there is no way they will go unpunished.
“A very good example is the on-going trial of the former Secretary to
Government of the Federation (SGF) Babachir Lawal for financial malfeasance
over what is now known as grass cutting scandal in North-East Nigeria.
“Another pointer to the government’s zero-tolerance for corruption in its
ranks is the trial of the former Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty
Programme Major-General Paul Boroh (rtd).”
BMO urged Nigerians to rally behind President Buhari’s administration in
its bid to ensure that the people get value for money allocated for
infrastructure and other projects in any part of the country.
