We will begin tracking of MDAs projects soon ― ICPC chairman

Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, has again announced the commission’s resolution to begin tracking of projects executed by government ministries and departments as from this month so as to ensure quality projects across Nigeria.

According to him: “We fully appreciate that apart from constituency projects, other projects being executed by ministries, departments and agencies that are not connected to members of the National Assembly will also be tracked.”

Speaking at a two-day retreat for management of the Commission and members of the National Assembly Committees on Anti-Corruption, Professor Owasanoye said tracking of executive projects, in addition to the on-going tracking of constituency projects, would soon commence.

He said the new initiative, called Constituency and Executive Project Tracking Group, became imperative due to the huge success recorded by the ICPC in the tracking of constituency projects.

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The ICPC boss stated that the commission had already listed priority sectors and projects for the exercise, adding that the focus would be on key sectors of education, health, agriculture, power and water resources.

“We have already dissected the 2020 budget. We have broken it down on a sectoral basis. We will also leverage on technology. We have to engage partners who have technologies that will track all the hospitals in Nigeria. We will use these technologies so that nobody will lie to us,” he added.

The Chairman, House Committee on Anti-Corruption, Honourable Shehu Sani, in his paper presentation, observed that the retreat offered the National Assembly and ICPC opportunities to build a good working relationship.

According to him: “As one of the agencies the Committee is and will be over-sighting and appropriating funds for over the next three years, this engagement provides us with an opportunity to establish a common ground in our desire to work in sync with ICPC in the discharge of its mandate as spelt out in its enabling law.”

Sani decried the negative impact of corruption on the country, saying “the theft of public funds earmarked for the development of critical sectors such as health, education and infrastructural projects inevitably denies the nation and its people of progress and improved well-being.

“A people denied good health are being killed physically, a people denied good education are being killed mentally, and a people denied adequate regular power supply, good transportation system, and other infrastructural necessities that facilitate productive and gainful life, are being killed economically and emotionally.” He stated.

He added that the 9th National Assembly would support the anti-corruption agencies through review of existing legislation and increased funding for ICPC and EFCC to enable them to perform effectively.