The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC) has begun investigation into alleged fraudulent procurement practices in the award of contracts for constituency and executive projects in 17 states of the federation and Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
A total of 1,251 projects executed within 2019 and 2020 appropriations has been listed for tracking. ICPC spokesperson, Mrs. Azuka Ogugua, who disclosed this in Abuja, yesterday, said the exercise would form part of the Phase III of the constituency and executive projects tracking exercise.
The states are Katsina, Kano, Sokoto, Yobe, Adamawa and Plateau. Others include Kogi, Benue, Ondo, Osun, Lagos, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Edo, Anambra, Imo and the FCT.
Noting that the exercise would focus on agriculture, education, power, health and water resources sectors, she said the move would include 1,024 constituency and 227 executive projects.
Ogugua observed that the first phase, which held in 2019 in 12 states and the FCT, resulted in tracking of 524 projects, while the second phase in 2020 had about 822 works tracked in 16 states.
She said: “The objective of the tracking exercise is to ensure that the Appropriation Act is fully implemented as contemplated by law, monitor 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.”
Ogugua added: “The commission hopes to close the gap between expenditure and development and the swallowing of scarce government resources characterised by shoddy handling of constituency projects through its enforcement and preventive mandate.”
