Youths from the Niger Delta region, under the aegis of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), said they are hopeful that the ongoing forensic audit of the books of the Niger-Delta Development Commission (NDDC) would reveal those behind the reported mind-boggling looting in the agency.
IYC’s spokesman, Ebilade Ekerefe, in a statement, quoted the group’s President, Timothy Igbfa as expressing support for the audit, but cautioned members of the NDDC’s interim management committee (IMC) to avoid the mistake of those earlier appointed from the region by President Mohammadu Buhari.
‘’This is the first time in history that a financial pipeline analysis of this magnitude is being carried out in the commission.
“Niger Deltans and entire Nigeria are waiting patiently for the outcome of the audit so that we can all see those who have been responsible for crippling the development of the Niger Delta region.
“Of course we are aware that a movie like this is bound to be resisted by the enemies of transparency and accountability, hence the sponsorship of the media trial and accusations against the IMC in order to force the President to lose confidence in the IMC and stop the forensic audit.
”Unfortunately for them, their plans have faile,’’ IC said.
The group expressed support for President Buhari and the Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio for their commitment to the forensic audit of the commission. IC urged members of the IMC to “avoid the pitfall other leaders from the region, appointed by President Buhari, had fallen into, leading to their untimely removal from office and bringing embarrassment to the region.”
It added: “The whole of Niger Delta is depending on you (the IMC), and calling on you to introduce reforms to transform the NDDC so that it can transparently deliver on its mandate, become more accountable, reduce corruption and bring speedy development to the Niger Delta.
”Do this and we will stand by you, defend you at all times against every force of evil that do not like the Niger Delta.”
The group attributed the delay in the payment of school fees to students on scholarship on bureaucratic bottlenecks.
It expressed confidence that the students would soon receive their payment with the amount of effort the leadership of the NDDC is making to verify the authenticity of all the student and finalise the payment process. IC said the verification process was necessary because the scholarships were awarded before the IMC was constituted.
