Against the backdrop of scandals rocking the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), an integrity and advocacy group, The Network for Best Practice and Integrity in Leadership (TEBPIL), has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to take decisive steps, beyond mere statements to end the embarrassing situation.
In a letter to the President, dated July 17, signed by Dr. Aminu Idris, Director of Investigations, TNBPIL observed that “The information in the public domain makes it difficult for any keen observer of the sordid development in the commission to exonerate any of the parties involved in this unfolding national scandal, hence the urgent need for Mr. President, to in a more personal and authoritative manner, take more practical and cogent actions that will comprehensively address the monumental corruption and abject mismanagement in NDDC, in order to not only save the nation of further embarrassment, but also protect the integrity of your administration, noted for anti-corruption crusade.”
According to NEBPRIL, the mismanagement of NDDC is a collective indictment on both the legislative and executive arms of government, influential politicians and the system that enables such brazen corruption.
“Public perception in the nation at the moment is strong with the view that many among the accusers and the accused in the current NDDC scandal, are most likely, unfortunately compromised”, it stated
It warns that unless President Buhari takes urgent, meaningful decisive action now, by putting in place a judicial investigative panel with the powers to not only indict, when found culpable, but also prosecute and bring to justice, those that are guilty of defrauding the nation through NDDC, whether they are in the legislature or executive, he may unwittingly be encouraging fraudulent individuals among the political class to continue to see the NDDC and perhaps, the newly established North East Development Commission (NEDC) and other such regional intervention agencies as plundering grounds to satisfy their avarice
The NDDC has been thrown into messy controversy in recent times since the president ordered a forensic audit of the special intervention agency, leading to the appointment of three acting managing directors and controversial revelations of huge financial and procedural infractions involving several high placed individuals.
NEBPRIL added, “The ugly revelations coming from different players in the NDDC, make us to conclude that unless you take decisive action in getting to the roots of the mind-blowing infractions and brazen corruption in this important intervention agency, all the efforts of your government in fighting corruption would not only be reduced to a ridiculous joke, but also a bad example of how to defeat corruption.
“The accusation and counter accusations by past and current management of the commission, members of the National Assembly and the Niger Delta Ministry, (who are tasked with oversight of NDDC) over allegations of heartless plundering of the commonwealth of the horrendously devastated oil producing region, point to one disturbing fact: the mismanagement of NDDC is a collective indictment on both the legislative and executive arms of government, influential politicians and the system that enables such brazen corruption”.
It urged the President to urgently put in place a professional, independent investigative panel that will assist him in unearthing the truth and end this macabre soap opera and save the people of further agony”.