President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday expressed regret as the law enforcement agencies said they have recovered over N3.7billion as well as various assets worth billions of Naira from contractors and former directors of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

Disclosing this at the inauguration of the NDDC Advisory Committee comprising of nine governors of the Niger Delta Region and the Ministers of Niger Delta Affairs and Environment in Abuja yesterday, the President said, ‘‘Till 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.’’

According to a press statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, President Buhari told the committee that these abuses of the past clearly show the need for strict and diligent oversight, going forward. He urged them to discharge their new assignment diligently and effectively, working closely with the relevant ministries, adding that he looked forward to seeing positive changes in the affairs of the Commission as well as on the ground in the Niger Delta region.

The President, however, expressed regret that in the past these institutions were unable to deliver their mandates due to mismanagement. He said: ‘‘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.’’

Speaking on behalf of the members of the Advisory Committee, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State thanked the President for inaugurating the Committee and granting the request of the governors, from the region, for a forensic audit of the NDDC.

The Governor expressed the hope that the result from the forensic audit would help streamline activities of the NDDC with a view to putting it on course to deliver on its mandate to the people.