The forensic audit of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) led to the completion of 76 projects, its Interim Administrator, Effiong Akwa, has said.

According to him, the audit of the NDDC commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari forced some contractors to return to the site.

He said: “Last month, we took an inventory. Over 76 projects have been completed and delivered to NDDC without the award of a single contract just because the people didn’t want to have issues with the incoming forensic auditors.”

Akwa stated this in a lecture he delivered at the University of Abuja on Tuesday.

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He said about 70 per cent of people in the Southsouth live below the poverty line despite the region contributing 90 per cent to Nigeria’s earnings.

The NDDC chief said the country needs the Niger Delta to be stable and peaceful in order to achieve a robust economy.

Akwa, in his lecture entitled “The Role of NDDC in National Development” said some “enemies” of the country wanted to destabilise the region but save for the intervention of the Federal Government.

He said Nigeria needs stability to thrive.

According to him, the commission has never received full budgetary provision since it was established in 2000.