L
LequteMan
Guest
Nigeria - The Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Council (NDDC), Mr Bassey Dan Abia on Wednesday, debunked allegations of missing N183.7 billion from the commission’s coffers.
The Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Samuel Ukura, said N183.7 billion could not be accounted for by auditors who conducted a special check on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) from 2008 to 2012.
But Mr. Bassey put things in perspective after a meeting held with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Rock yesterday.
According to him, the meeting with the president was at his own instance and that he was not summoned by Buhari as reported.
He said: “It is only proper that we should come and brief the president. I requested to meet the president in my capacity as the Managing Director of the NDDC. So, I was not summoned as reported in the media. We briefed the president on our mandate.
“As far as the audited account of the 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 fact clear.
“The second one on having no assets I don’t know from when to when. On principle, I came to brief the president properly. Let me assure you that even by the admission of the auditor-general, no N180 billion is missing. Because APG (Advance Payment Guarantee) as you know is governed by advanced payment directives.”
He explained that contracts awarded by the NDDC always had bank guarantee meaning that such funds could not get missing as a bank would have provided a guarantee for it.
Dan-Abia also denied the allegation that he indulged in contract splitting disclosing that the agency’s budgeting process did not allow such practice.
ThisDay
The Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Samuel Ukura, said N183.7 billion could not be accounted for by auditors who conducted a special check on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) from 2008 to 2012.
But Mr. Bassey put things in perspective after a meeting held with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Rock yesterday.
According to him, the meeting with the president was at his own instance and that he was not summoned by Buhari as reported.
He said: “It is only proper that we should come and brief the president. I requested to meet the president in my capacity as the Managing Director of the NDDC. So, I was not summoned as reported in the media. We briefed the president on our mandate.
“As far as the audited account of the 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 fact clear.
“The second one on having no assets I don’t know from when to when. On principle, I came to brief the president properly. Let me assure you that even by the admission of the auditor-general, no N180 billion is missing. Because APG (Advance Payment Guarantee) as you know is governed by advanced payment directives.”
He explained that contracts awarded by the NDDC always had bank guarantee meaning that such funds could not get missing as a bank would have provided a guarantee for it.
Dan-Abia also denied the allegation that he indulged in contract splitting disclosing that the agency’s budgeting process did not allow such practice.
ThisDay