By Audrey Lotechukwu
THUR, JULY 23 2020-theG&BJournal– The Nigeria Senate began deliberation on the report of the ad-hoc Committee it set up to investigate alleged Financial recklessness in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Olubunmi Adetumbi presented the report to members of the Senate and details how the Commission spent N4.923 billion.
He itemized the spending as follows; N85.7 spent on overseas travel to the United Kingdom
-N105.5 million on scholarship grants
-N164.2 million for Union members’ trip to Italy
-N1.96 million on Lassa fever kit
-N1.12 billion on public communications
– N1.49 billion on COVID-19 relief.
Besides, the detailed financial recklessness, the Committee noted that the NDDC has failed to submit its quarterly and annual financial performance to the National Assembly as provided in Section 19 and 20 of the NDDC Act.
The ad-hoc Committee recommended that these sums of money be refunded to the Federation Account and the Auditing process of the Commission be transferred to the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation to guarantee independence, credibility, transparency and professionalism.
In his remark, Senator Adetumbi noted that it is difficult to find a connection between development in the Niger Delta communities and the amount of monies so far invested in the region. He argued that cash injection in the region has not worked under the various Interim Management Committees (IMC).
The Committee also recommended in its report the inauguration of a Monitoring Committee and advisory Council of the Commission along with the Board of Directors as provided in Sections 20 and 21 of the NDDC Act to ensure what it called ‘’sufficient check and balances in the internal affairs of the NDDC.
The Senate recommended that Standard Operating Procedures of the NDDC must be reviewed and re-instituted with full documentation and a formal training conducted.
It also recommended that President Muhammadu Buhari appoint an internationally recognised Forensic Auditor to carryout Forensic Auditing of the Commission.
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