ICPC: We’ve Recovered Assets Worth Billions of Naira By Tracking Constituency Projects

•Says companies belonging to civil servants executing constituency projects 

•We uncovered N8.6bn projects abandoned in nine states, BudgiT reveals 

•N/Assembly to partner CSOs on constituency projects, says Barau

Adedayo Akinwale and Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) said it has recovered assets worth billions of naira to the government’s coffers through constituency and executive projects’ tracking initiative.

However, the Deputy President of the Senate, Jibrin Barau, has said the National Assembly would partner civil society organisations to strengthen zonal intervention programmes, otherwise known as constituency projects.

The ICPC added that through the initiative, it also returned equipment to communities for whom they were meant.

The Chairman of the ICPC, Musa Aliyu, disclosed this yesterday, in Abuja, at a policy Dialogue on Parliamentary Succession and Constituency Projects, organised by at Order Paper Advocacy Initiative and BudgiT Foundation Dialogue.

The Chairman who was represented by Mr. Jimoh Suleiman, said the agency tracks constituency projects to curb corruption and increase recovery of public funds.

His words: “In view of the ICPC’s drive at ensuring good governance and value for money on government projects, the ICPC conceived the Constituency and Executive Projects Tracking Initiative whose objectives are to  curb corruption, improve service delivery to the people, ensure the full execution of all projects, guarantee value for money in the implementation of projects and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements in the implementation of the projects, and increase recovery of public funds into government coffers.

“The initiative has led to the recovery of assets worth billions of naira to the government, return of equipment to communities for whom they were meant, and actual proper implementation of projects.

“Also, many contractors have been compelled to return to the sites to complete hitherto shoddily done or abandoned projects.”

Aliyu, noted that the outcome of the tracking exercise presented different scenarios, such as absence of check mechanisms, project facilitators and civil servants gaming the system and turning the initiative into conduit pipe.

He added: “Almost every stage of the implementation process marred in cesspool of corruption and abuses so much that some projects were shoddily executed or not executed at all.

“Even some of the projects were executed by companies belonging to civil servants and project facilitators or companies in which they had substantial interests.

“Some of the negative outcomes of the tracking exercise include lack of synergy between the communities and the project facilitators in terms of Needs Analysis, Non- involvement of the communities in project conception, leading to waste of scarce resources, succeeding legislators not ready to take on projects initiated by their predecessors, and lack of awareness on the funding/ownership of such projects among others.”

The ICPC Chairman was of the opinion that the fight against corruption cannot succeed without the full support, active participation and collaboration of key stakeholders and the society in general.

He noted that to entrench transparency and accountability in the systems, everyone must join hands to monitor the implementation of government projects in their communities.

However, BudgIT said it has uncovered the payment of N8.6 billion to 26 contractors for 19 projects across nine states which had been abandoned or not done.

BudgIT’s Head of Tracka, Ayomide Ladipo, said the projects were captured in the 2022 budget.

She added: “For the 2022 FG Projects execution, we uncovered the payment of N8.6 billion to 26 contractors for 19 projects across 9 states which have been abandoned or not done. Some of them are:

“The payment of N542 million to Abu-Halawa International Limited between December 2020 and April 2023 under the Federal Ministry of Water Resources for the Construction of Jare Earth Dam in Katsina. Nothing has been done on the site to date.

“The payment of N630 million to Babar Global Services Nigeria Ltd and Foundation Solid (NIG) Limited between July 2022 and September 2023 under the Federal Ministry of Water Resources for the Construction of the Ogbese Multi-Purpose Dam Project, Ekiti. This site has been abandoned since 2021.”

Ladipo, added that it also included the payment of N400 million to Laralek Ultimate Ltd in March 2023 under the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing for the Limited Rehabilitation of Opo Malu Road, Saki, Oyo State, adding that the contractor for this site has never reported to the site to date.

Also, the payment of N283 million to A. G. Vision Construction Nigeria Limited and Omodem Covenant Ventures Ltd between 2020 – 2023 for the Construction of Nkari Damn in Akwa Ibom under the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, saying the project had not been done.

On his part, the Senator representing Ogun East, Mr. Gbenga Daniels, said parliamentary succession and constituency projects were essential elements that shape the functioning of legislature and the relationship between lawmakers and their constituents.

He said Parliamentary succession refers to the process of orderly transition and continuity within legislative bodies, saying it was crucial for the stability and effectiveness of our democracy.

The former Governor of Ogun state said as lawmakers, they have a responsibility to ensure a seamless transfer of power from one parliament to the next, upholding the principles of representation and democratic governance.

Daniel, noted that on the other hand, constituency projects were an integral part of democratic system, aimed at bringing development and addressing the specific needs of constituents.

The Deputy President of the Senate, Jibrin Barau, said the National Assembly would partner civil society organisations to strengthen zonal intervention programmes, otherwise known as constituency projects.

Barau, was represented by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Alhaji Ismail Mudashir.

The Deputy President of the Senate said the dialogue was apt as it would enable lawmakers, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders in the country to look at issues revolving around constituency projects.

He noted that rural communities have been experiencing rapid development across the country courtesy of constituency projects.

Barau, therefore stressed the need to sustain and improve it for the benefit of Nigerians.

He said, “It would interest you to know that it was while I was chairing the appropriation committee at the House of Representatives between 1999 and 2003 that the constituency projects were introduced to allow lawmakers to recommend projects based on the needs of their constituencies.

“Regardless of the little hitches, this practice has facilitated the spread of federal projects to the nooks and crannies of the country.

“But for this practice, many communities wouldn’t have felt the federal presence regarding projects. In most cases, constituency projects are based on the needs of communities as requested by the electorate through their representatives,” he said.

He said that the National Assembly was committed to ensuring smooth implementation of the constituency and other projects in the country to address some of the challenges in the country.

“I, therefore, urge you to look at the issue of parliamentary succession and constituency projects holistically to come up with suggestions on how best to address it for the development of our country,” he said.