By Adedapo Adesanya
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has signed an agreement with a multinational business management consultancy firm, KPMG, to help improve transparency in its operations in line with global best practices.
The move will see the firm provide advisory services to the commission while improving its corporate governance culture and internal processes. The NDDC has faced claims of corruption and mismanagement over the years, with its former acting Managing Director, Mr Daniel Pondei, slumping during a probe in 2020.
Speaking during the signing ceremony at the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, the current Managing Director, Mr Samuel Ogbuku, noted that partnering with KPMG would help elevate the commission’s processes to international standards.
Mr Ogbuku said that the objective was to strengthen the NDDC as an institution by instituting internal regulations that would outlive the current management.
“NDDC has been seen as a failure in the past, so we decided to adopt global best practices for our corporate governance culture and internal processes, hence the decision to engage the KPMG to provide professional advisory services on our Corporate Governance culture and internal processes.
“We are ready to be internally regulated. Signing this agreement with the KPMG will boost the credibility of the NDDC and, in the long term, enhance the development of the Niger Delta region.
“For us to do things differently, we must do them according to international best practices. This is why we engaged KPMG to provide advisory services.
“As part of our drive in this administration, we have duly engaged development partners and donor agencies; we believe this is a crucial step as it builds confidence that we not only have good governance but that we are also transparent.
On the part of KPMG, the Lead Partner and Head of Governance Processes at KPMG, Mr Tolu Odukale, commended the NDDC leadership for partnering with the KPMG in the development of the Niger Delta region, noting that the relationship would boost the confidence of investors and development partners.
Mr Odukale assured that KPMG would bring all its skills and experiences to boost NDDC’s internal processes and ensure accountability and transparency.
Adding his input, the Executive Director of Finance and Administration, Mr Charles Airhiavbere, noted that engaging the services of the KPMG will enhance the service delivery of the NDDC, resulting in stakeholder satisfaction.
