Forensic audit: Rights group protests against delay in constitution of NDDC board

By Timi Black,WARRI

A Niger Delta rights group under the auspices of Citizens’ Rights Advocacy Group (CRAG) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately constitute the substantive board of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.

The group in a statement by its National Coordinator, Fun-ororo Narebor,Esq, said now that the long awaited forensic audit report is out and submitted to the president, the board should be inaugurated without further delay.

CRAG added that the continuous management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) by a Sole Administrator despite the NDDC audit report is out and submitted will no longer be acceptable.

However, the group aligned itself with the South-South Governors, Ijaw National Congress, Traditional Rulers, Youth Groups and all well meaning individuals for the call for the immediate constitution and inauguration of the substantive board of the NDDC to save Niger Delta from avoidable crisis.

“We therefore call on the Federal Government to immediately constitute the substantive board for the NDDC as the sole reason for the delay in constituting the substantive board has been overcomed. It is a great disservice to note that some persons in representative capacity in the Niger-Delta are saying that the substantive board of NDDC should be suspended until decisions on forensic audit is taken by Mr. President.

“Anybody especially from the Niger Delta region that is advocating for the suspension of the constitution of the substantive board of the NDDC is a grand conspirator against the Niger-Delta and does not mean well for the Niger Delta people.

According the group: “For about 5 months ago, the media space was agog with the condemnation of the continuous running of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, without a management board.

“In various meetings with South-South Governors, Traditional Rulers, Youth Groups and High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, senator Godswill Akpabio promised that a new board of management for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) would be constituted immediately after the forensic audit of the commission”, they group added.