NDDC Begins Audit, Verification Of Projects

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) says it has inaugurated a 50-member committee to audit and document projects and contracts awarded in the nine Niger Delta states.
The states include, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and Rivers.
According to a statement by the commission’s Deputy Director, Corporate Affairs, Chijioke Amu-Nnadi, the Acting Managing Director of NDDC, Dr. Joi Nunieh, inaugurated the verification committee in Port Harcourt, with a clear charge to be fair, thorough and incorruptible in the discharge of their arduous responsibilities.
Nunieh said that the committee’s formation was a prelude to the forensic audit of the commission ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.
According to her, the verification exercise becomes necessary due to many ‘fake’ Interim Payment Certificates (IPCs) being claimed by contractors.
“So, members of the committee will go round all the NDDC mandate states to verify these projects and contracts.
“The committee will carry out this assignment for a period of two weeks – which is the first stage in the redirection exercise at the interventionist agency.
“After the initial documentation and verification, we will go out to all the states to identify and inspect the projects,” Nunieh said.
The managing director said the commission would work with different professional groups, including architects, engineers and quantity surveyors to ensure the projects met the acceptable standards.
Nunieh also pointed out that the NDDC was aware that some undisclosed groups were currently awarding fake contracts by falsifying official documents.