Missing N183bn: My hands are clean – says NDDC boss
Abia
The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dan Abia, has dismissed allegation that N183billion is missing from the account of the commission.
Abia, who was fielding questions from State House correspondents in Abuja on Wednesday after briefing President Muhammadu Buhari on the activities of the commission, said the claim was untrue.
The special periodic check report of the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, had claimed that N183.7 billion was unaccounted for by the commission.
The Auditor-General of the Federation, Samuel Ukura, had insisted that his office stood by the report and directed those not satisfied, to be prepared to defend their position before a special committee of the National Assembly.
Abia, however said that he was not the Managing Director of the NDDC during the period that the Auditor General referred to in his allegation.
According to him, his hands are clean and that he is ready to defend the allegation with the records available at the commission.
“We briefed the president on our mandate. As far as the audited account of the NDDC is concerned, how many of us know that the audited account under under reference refers to 2008 to 2012.
“I was not the managing director then. Let’s get that fact clear. In principle, I came to brief Mr President proper.
“Let me assure you that even by the admission of the Auditor-General, no N180 billion is missing.
because Advanced Payment Guarantee (APG), as you know, is governed by advanced payment directives.
“Office of the Auditor General is a government agency, whatever clarification, we shall engage the office and proper record will be strengthened.
“I said that even before the president, no N180b is missing.’’
The Director General also dismissed the allegation of contract splitting being leveled against the commission.
“Let me also tell you that I cannot be a party to contract splitting. NDDC is a very unique institution; we have a budgeting process.
“Those people that are now crying, where were they when NDDC was not having project up till the end of the year?’’ he queried.
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1 Comments
We have heard that Abuja-Lagos rail line project loan($1B) was diverted and Dr OKonjo quarried by Gen Buhari, the response of the former minister to say the least was a disgrace to the Presidency after it became clear that the Chinese government was responsible for disbursing payment directly to their own indigenous contractors handling the projects upon certification from Nigerian government. Since Buhari became president, the quickest statements that come out of his government is bogus allegations of fraud levelled against those in authority before he came. We’ve also heard the USA is embarrassed by the statements of his praise singer 0shiomole over unguarded statements and spurious allegations allegedly made by US officials.Yes, we are interested in what has gone wrong in Niger Delta and indeed Nigeria but more importantly service delivery through Clear government policies. To date this is zero. How long are we going to wait for change instead of these bogus allegations that seem to be diverting the public attention from Buhari’s inability to provide presidential responsibilities?
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