The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has on Wednesday, authorized the appointment of a head consultant for the forensic audit of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, made the disclosure after the FEC meeting presided over by Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo.

President Muhammadu Buhari, last December, directed the NDDC Interim Management Team to remain in office until the audit is completed.

Responding , Akpabio said the cost of the audit is about N318 million and Messrs Olumuyiwa Bashiru and co were appointed the lead consultant.

The estimated period given by the Bureau of Public Procurement to finalize the exercise was nine months.

Akpabio recalled that nine governors met with the President in October 2019 and requested a forensic audit of the NDDC.

“Of course, as a result of the fact that we have not had value for the money expended in that commission since inception”, he noted.

“And so, the forensic audit will cover from 2001 all the way down to 2019 and we are going to have other forensic auditors joining the lead; we are treating each of the states as a lot.

“So, likely we are going to have a consortium of about nine other forensic auditors; one of which will be in the head office to handle programmes and financial audit, personnel and all others,” he added.

Akpanio noted that it must have “an international flavour in case there are monies that may be denominated in dollar to be recovered after a forensic exercise”.

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