The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) says it will partner with
the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to enthrone transparency and
accountability in the operations of the agency.
The Executive Secretary of NEITI, Waziri Adio gave the assessment in his presentation
to the Retreat of the Commission held in Port Harcourt recently.
Mr. Adio noted that the NDDC and NEITI were set up with similar mandates targeted at
addressing the syndrome of resource curse, a situation where countries like Nigeria
blessed with abundant natural resources find their larger population living in abject
poverty as a result of over – dependence on the natural resource and mismanagement
of revenues accruing from the resource.
He lamented that over the years public perception of NDDC was more of an agency
with huge revenue resources but with little impact on the lives of the people of the Niger
Delta.
The Executive Secretary who was represented by NEITI’s Director, Communications,
Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji urged the new team at the NDDC to carry out a corruption risk
assessment that will enable the agency develop a framework to strengthen its
operations.
The NEITI Report findings presented to participants at the Retreat disclosed that a total
of $1.98 Billion was remitted to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)
between 2007 and 2014.
This was in addition to the sum of N594 billion paid to the Commission in local currency
during the same period.
The breakdown of remittances shows that NDDC received N594 Billion from 2007 to
2011 while $559 Million was paid to the Commission in 2012.
NEITI Report findings also show that in 2013, the NDDC received $563 Million while in
2014, the sum of $865 Million was remitted to the Commission.
NEITI also told the NDDC Management Retreat that from its Fiscal Allocation and
Statutory Disbursement Audit Report covering 2007-2011, the sum of N7.4 Billion
allocated to member states of the Commission for grass root development projects in
the respective states could not be accounted for while twenty two of such projects
valued at N1.19 Billion were duplicated.
The NEITI Executive Secretary urged the new Board and Management of the NDDC to
carry out an independent project implementation audit, commit to good corporate
governance and the principles of the global extractive industries transparency initiative.
The Managing Director of the NDDC, Mr. Nsima Ekere, welcomed the emerging
partnership between NEITI and the NDDC and pledged to use the NEITI Reports as
tools to enthrone accountability and corporate governance.
He gave the assurance that the NDDC under the new Board and management will fully
embrace the principles of the global Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI)
to reverse the resource curse syndrome in the Niger Delta, through efficient resource
utilization, corporate governance and project delivery.
The NDDC Retreat was attended by members of the National Assembly, Ministers, the
media, civil society and development partners.