VANGUARD for Transparent Leadership and Democracy, VATLAD, has faulted some recommendations in the Forensic Audit Report on Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari, during the week, describing them as ill-considered.
The group in a statement by the national president, Mr Emmanuel Igbini, yesterday, said: “We were hit with rude shock and disappointment to read that the lead forensic auditor, Alhaji Kabir Ahmed, recommended managerial as well as structural changes, chief of which is downsizing of the Board and members of the Board to be on part-time.
“He was reported to have hinged his recommendations on the need to reduce cost of running NDDC.
“We would have ignored his recommendations and not react to same because they are not carefully thought-out. However, we are compelled to react because the Attorney General of the Federation in his response on behalf of President Buhari, stated that President Buhari has promised to strategically implement all aspects of the audit exercise , which will include review of the NDDC Act vis-a-vis the recommendation for board members to be on part-time.
patriots and indigenes of the Niger Delta region, to remind President Buhari and Nigerians that by virtue of section 2(3) of the NDDC Act, 2000, those positions of Governing Board of the Commission (NDDC) that our people of Niger Delta Region rightly demanded in year 2000 be placed on part-time are already on part-time and, therefore, need no further placing on part-time.
“Furthermore, it’s important to remind Nigerians that of every 19-member substantive Governing Board of NDDC confirmed by the Nigerian Senate, 16 are on part-time; only three of them, the Managing Director/CEO, Executive Director, Finance and Administration, and Executive Director, Projects, are on full-time, and rightly so. “It was deliberate to differentiate them from the other 16 members on part-time that the NDDC Act, 2000 under section 12, classify them as members of NDDC Management Committee with responsibility to carry out the day-to-day administration of the Commission.”
Credits: Vanguard, Emma Amaize.
