NiDO-WW demands NiDCOM explanation to Auditor-General’s report

The Nigerians in Diaspora (NiDO) Worldwide has urged the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) to address the 13 audit observations raised by the Auditor-General's annual report. The NiDO-WW leaders released a joint statement in Abuja, expressing their concern over the observations. These observations, totaling over ₦1.3 billion in questioned transactions from the 2023 financial year, included issues such as non-production of contract execution evidence for diaspora events, contractor overpayments, tax deduction breaches, and misapplication of funds between expenditure heads.

NiDCOM responded by dismissing the claims as politically motivated, stating that all expenditure records and supporting vouchers are intact and fully verifiable. However, NiDO-WW insists that accountability to the report is crucial for strengthening NiDCOM, with the findings remaining valid pending the implementation of the recommendations.

The leaders emphasized that the answer to the audit observations lies in the vouchers, contracts, approvals, and delivery records, not in guest lists.