The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has signed an agreement with KPMG, a multinational business management consultancy firm, to provide advisory services to the commission on global best practices in corporate governance culture and internal processes.
The Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, while speaking during the signing ceremony at the commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, expressed optimism that partnering with KPMG would help elevate the Commission’s processes to international standards.
He said: “Today is a ground-breaking moment. 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”, Ogbuku added.
He explained that the objective of the pact was to strengthen the NDDC as an institution by instituting internal regulations that would outlive the current management.
The NDDC boss further clarified: “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”, he added
Earlier in his remarks, the Lead Partner and Head, Governance Processes, KPMG, Mr. Tolu Odukale, commended the commission’s leadership for partnering with his firm in the development of the Niger Delta region, noting that the relationship will increase investors and development partners’ confidence in the activities of the NDDC
He promised that KPMG would bring all its skills and experiences to enhance NDDC’s internal processes and ensure accountability and transparency.
Photo Caption
The Lead Partner and Head, Governance Processes, KPMG, Mr. Tolu Odukale (left) and Managing Director of NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, signing the Internal Processes agreement at the NDDC’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Watching behind them are NDDC’s Executive Director Finance and Administration, Major General Charles Airhiavbere (rtd) and Executive Director, Projects, Mr. Charles Ogunmola.
