The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), on Tuesday, announced the commencement of Phase 3 of the Constituency and Executive Projects Tracking Exercise.
According to a statement signed by the commission’s spokesperson, Mrs Azuka Ogugua, and made available to newsmen in Abuja, the tracking of the constituency and executive projects was an initiative of the commission that began in 2019.
The exercise focuses on how well money allocated to critical sectors of education, health, agriculture, water resources and power amongst others by the government were utilized.
ICPC said the first phase of the exercise was held in 2019 in 12 states and the FCT and saw the tracking of 524 projects, saying the second phase in 2020 had about 822 projects tracked in 16 states.
It said the first two phases led to the recovery of assets worth billions of naira to the government, return of equipment to communities for whom they were meant.
The statement further said about 300 contractors returned to sites and completed hitherto shoddily done or abandoned projects, adding that the exercise led to the revelation that some projects were excellently and completely executed.
It said the commission was following up the first two phases of the projects with the community sensitization and enlightenment programme, receipt, and handling of enquiries on the toll-free number (0800-CALL-ICPC/0800-2255-4272) and info@icpc.gov.ng.
The commission stated that some cases of diversion of project funds from the first two phases were being investigated.
“Phase three of the constituency and executive projects tracking exercise is slated to take place in 17 states – Katsina, Kano, Sokoto, Yobe, Adamawa, Plateau and Kogi. Others are Benue, Ondo, Osun, Lagos, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Edo, Anambra and Imo States, as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
“The focus, as in the previous years, will be on priority sectors of agriculture, education, power, health and water resources.
“A total of 1,251 projects executed within the 2019 and 2020 appropriation acts have been listed for tracking in this third phase. These include 1,024 constituency and 227 executive projects respectively.
“The objective of the tracking exercise is to ensure that the Appropriation Act is fully implemented as contemplated by law, monitor the implementation of the projects from inception to completion, make recoveries on projects/contracts confirmed to have been inflated, and investigate fraudulent procurement practices in the award of contracts for constituency and executive projects.
“The reason is to improve service delivery to the people, ensure the full execution of all projects, guarantee value for money in the implementation of the projects and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements in the implementation of the projects, and increase recovery of public funds into government coffers, among others,” he stressed.
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