…….SOCIAL ACTION Urges FGN, Buhari To Make Public NDDC’S Forensic Audit Reports, To Rekindle Hope of Nigerians
By Victor Bieni, Asaba
A leading International Non-governmental Organization based in the Niger-Delta Region, Social Development Integrated Centre (Social Action) working on the thematic areas of promoting community development, good governance and accountability to checkmate corrupt office holders and awaken citizens consciousness on their civic rights for a better society has applauded the leadership of Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on the recent arraignment of Dr. Solomon Okpa Ita, a Director with the Niger-Delta Development Commission (NDDC) before a Federal High Court in Abuja.
The media learnt this today being on Friday, 30th September, 2022 in a press statement made available to some group of Journalists in Asaba, Delta State capital by Social Action’s Communication Officer, Comfort Agbebaku, which was signed by the gro
Programmes Coordinator of Social Action, Mr. Isaac Botti who reacted to the swift action taken by ICPC Leadership to promote accountability in NDDC.
Social Action stated that, Dr. Solomon Okpa Ita’s arraignment was in connection with an alleged diversion of N45 Million , being part of the funds paid to for one NDDC contract awarded to the Radiant Women Association Group.
The group also, used the medium to call on Federal Government to publish the NDDC’S Forensic Audit reports.
The press statement by Social Action reads in parts: “We are happy that an anti-graft agency like the ICPC is taking a bold step to ending the monstrous corruption in the NDDC. We believe that there are more corrupt officials in the NDDC including former directors of the Commission, who have diverted contracts funds meant for developmental projects in the Niger Delta Region”.
“We want the ICPC and other anti-graft agencies to go after such ones irrespective of their social or political positions”.
” Forensic Audit Report of the NDDC revealed that there are over 12,000 abandoned projects in the Niger Delta Region despite the N6 trillion that has accrued to the commission”.
“With the report submitted to the office of the President, Nigerians had expected several arrests and prosecution of those indicted in the report. We have however seen just a few arrests and releases of these individuals”.
“Therefore, we call on the President, Muhammadu Buhari, to order a full-blown investigation and prosecution of all involved in the flagrant waste and mismanagement of the N6 trillion accrued to the NDDC”.
“We also call on President Buhari to make public the forensic audit report as this will rekindle the hope of Nigerians that he is a transparent leader who would leave no stone unturned in his fight against corruption in public institutions like the NDDC”.