News Release: Social Action Applauds ICPC on the Arraignment of NDDC Director and Reiterates Call for the Publication of the Forensic Audit Report
Social Action applauds the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on the recent arraignment of Dr. Solomon Okpa Ita, a director with the Niger-Delta Development Commission (NDDC) before a Federal High Court in Abuja. His arraignment was in connection with an alleged diversion of N45million, being part of the funds paid for one NDDC contract awarded to the Radiant Women Association group.
Reacting to this, Programmes Coordinator of Social Action, Mr. Isaac Botti says, “We are happy that an anti-graft agency like the ICPC is taking a bold step to ending the monstrous corruption in the NDDC. We believe that there are more corrupt officials in the NDDC including former directors of the Commission, who have diverted contracts funds meant for developmental projects in the Niger Delta Region. We want the ICPC and other anti-graft agencies to go after such ones irrespective of their social or political positions”.
It will be recalled that the Forensic Audit Report of the NDDC revealed that there are over 12,000 abandoned projects in the Niger Delta Region despite the N6 trillion that has accrued to the commission. With the report submitted to the office of the President, Nigerians had expected several arrests and prosecution of those indicted in the report. We have however seen just a few arrests and releases of these individuals.
Therefore, we call on the President, Muhammadu Buhari, to order a full-blown investigation and prosecution of all involved in the flagrant waste and mismanagement of the N6 trillion accrued to the NDDC.
We also call on President Buhari to make public the forensic audit report as this will rekindle the hope of Nigerians that he is a transparent leader who would leave no stone unturned in his fight against corruption in public institutions like the NDDC.
Signed,
Comfort Agbebaku
Communications Officer
Social Development Integrated Centre