The Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Constituency and Executive Project Tracking Group (CEPTG), says it is tracking projects worth N1.6 billion in Sokoto State.

The Team Leader, Sa’idu Yahaya, disclosed this while inspecting the renovation and equipping of a laboratory at the Federal Government College, Sokoto, on Thursday.

According to him, the exercise is part of the third phase of ICPC constituency and executive projects tracking slated for 17 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Mr Yahaya said that the committee was composed of members from the ICPC, Nigeria Institute of Quantity Surveyor (NIQS), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Media and Executing Agencies.

“They are to monitor and track the performance of constituency and executive projects and value work done, as well as identify the contractual sum and contractors, unearth payments made, identify the status and persons behind the projects.

“The team will also track contracting companies for all statutory regulatory compliance, including tax obligation and ascertain the value and impact of the projects for the various communities, where they were established,” he said.

The team leader, who is also the Head of Investigation Unit, ICPC Sokoto office, added that the third phase of the tracking would also focus on projects executed under the 2019 and 2020 appropriation act.

In the first two phases conducted by the team in 2019 and 2020 across projects in Sokoto and Kebbi states, over N4 billion projects were tracked.

The CEPTG began the third phase of tracking of the projects, having recorded huge success in the first and second phases of the exercise carried out in 12 and 16 states respectively.

Azuka Ogugua, spokesperson for ICPC, said in a statement in Abuja, on Tuesday, that the tracking of constituency and executive projects was an initiative of the commission that began in 2019.

According to her, the exercise focused on how well money allocated to critical sectors of education, health, agriculture, water resources and power, amongst others, by the government, were used.

The first phase of the exercise was held in 2019 in 12 states and the FCT and saw the tracking of 524 projects.

The second phase in 2020 had about 822 projects tracked in 16 states.

“The first two phases led to the recovery of assets worth billions of Naira to the government and return of equipment to communities for whom they were meant.

“Also, about 300 contractors returned to site and completed hitherto shoddily done or abandoned projects,” she said.

She added that the third phase of the tracking would 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, and the Federal Capital Territory. 

(NAN)