NDDC denies Auditor-General’s report of missing N184bn

Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NNDC) Mr. Dan Abia, has denied that any money is missing from the coffers of the intervention agency, and dissociated himself from any issue of contract splitting within the agency.

He told newsmen after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Villa yesterday, that the allegation was completely false.

Auditor-General of the Federation, Mr. Samuel Ukura had noted after an audit report of special check on NDDC from 2008 to 2012, that N183.7 billion had been discovered to have been misappropriated in the agency within the period under review.

Abia said: “It is only proper that we should come and brief the President. I requested to meet Mr. President in my capacity as the Managing Director of NDDC. I was not summoned as reported in the media. We briefed the President on our mandate.

Read also: N183b missing at NDDC

“As far as the audited account of NDDC is concerned, how many of us know that the audited account under reference refers to 2008 to 2012? I was not the Managing Director then. Let’s get that the facts clear.

“The second one, on not having assets, I do not know from when to when. On principle, I came to brief Mr. President properly.

“Let me assure you that even by the admission of the auditor General, no N180 billion is missing.

“The Office of the Auditor General is a government agency. We shall engage the office and proper record will be strengthened. I said that even before the President that no N180 billion is missing.

“Let me also tell you that I cannot be a party to contract splitting. NDDC is a very unique institution; we have a budgeting process.

“Those people that are now crying where were they when NDDC was not having project up till the end of the year.”

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