President Muhammadu Buhari has said law enforcement agencies have recovered over N3.7 billion in cash and assets worth billions of naira from contractors and former directors of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC. The government has, according to him, also placed liens on more than N6 billion in assets.

The President disclosed this at the inauguration of the NDDC Advisory Committee whose  members are the governors of Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and Rivers states as well as the ministers of Niger Delta Affairs and the Federal Ministry of the  Environment.

The purpose of the Advisory Committee, according to the President, “is to enable us develop insights into the affairs of the Commission which will properly guide the Board when reconstituted, once the Forensic Audit exercise on the Commission is concluded.”

President Buhari also said: ‘‘To date, the EFCC and other agencies of Government have recovered over N3.7billion in cash as well as various assets worth billions of Naira from some contractors and former Directors of the Commission.

‘‘Furthermore, I am told that Government agencies have placed liens on over N6 billion of assets which are being investigated.’’

The President also expressed his regret that in the past the NDDC was unable to deliver their mandates due to mismanagement.

‘‘As a result, the people of the Niger Delta were left with abandoned infrastructural projects and substandard social programmes which were designed to improve their living conditions.

‘‘It is to reverse this trend that I approved, in February 2020, the constitution of a 10-Man Presidential Monitoring Committee (PMC) as provided for in Section 21 of the NDDC Establishment Act.’’

He however charged the newly inaugurated committee to discharge the new assignment diligently and effectively, working closely with the relevant ministries.

The President also said he looked forward to seeing positive changes in the affairs of the Commission.