By Jamiu Ganiyu
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) is set to start the first phase of tracking of constituency projects in Osun and 11 other states of the federation in order to ensure quality projects delivery to constituents by their elected representatives and value for money in the execution of public projects.
Based on the information made available to osun.life, Osun State is said to be one of the highest beneficiaries of constituency projects within the period under review, and this could not be unconnected with the front line members the state had in the just ended 8th National.
You would recall that, Osun State produced a presiding office in the 8th House of Representatives in person of Rt. Hon. Lasun Yusuf, who served as the Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives and also Senator Adeyeye, who was the Chief Whip in the 8th Senate.
The two men who were from Osun Central Senatorial District facilitated multi billion naira constituency projects to their district within the space of four years.
However, the tracking initiative put up by the ICPC would reveal how they the implementation of the projects fared by the responsible government agencies and also put searchlight on the activities of the lawmakers in the projects.
Other states earmarked under the Constituency Project Tracking Group (CPTG) are Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Kogi, Sokoto and Kano. Others are Imo, Enugu, Lagos, Akwa Ibom and Edo states.
At least five projects awarded between 2016 and 2018 have been selected in each of the 12 states spread across the six geopolitical zones for the exercise, bringing the total to 86 projects to be tracked.
The initiative, according to the Chairman of ICPC, Professor Bolaji Owansanoye, during its launch at the ICPC headquarters in Abuja recently is aimed at ensuring satisfactory execution of all constituency projects across Nigeria in order to obtain value for money released.
It will be handled by ICPC in collaboration with Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS), Budget Office of the Federation, Office of the Accountant General of the Federation and the Bureau of Public Procurement.
The CPTG steering Committee also includes the reputable online newspaper, PremiumTimes, two civil society organizations; BudgIT and Community for Peace and Corrupt-free Society
Some of the mandates of the CPTG is to investigate fraudulent procurement practices in the award of contracts for constituency projects and other projects with potential to impacts lives of the ordinary Nigerians; to monitor, in collaboration with critical stakeholders, the implementation of constituency projects from inception to completion among others.