The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission says it has begun phase three tracking of over 118 executive and constituency projects worth N4.5 billion in Yobe.

Laban Emmanuel, ICPC team leader in the state, disclosed this on Thursday in Damaturu.

He said the tracking started on August 31 and would be concluded on September 12.

Mr Emmanuel said projects to be monitored were scattered across 11 local government areas of Fika, Potiskum, Gashua, Jakusko, Nguru, Fune, Yunusari, Yusufari, Gujba, Bursari, and Karasuwa.

He added that the team of trackers comprised ICPC officials, quantity surveyors, journalists, and civil society organisations.

Mr Emmanuel also stated that the same tracking was taking place in Katsina, Kano, Sokoto, Adamawa, Plateau, Kogi, Benue, Ondo, Osun, and Lagos. The ICPC tracking exercise is also focused on Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Edo, Anambra, Imo, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

The ICPC, in a recent statement by its spokesperson, Azuka Ogugua, said the commission initiated the tracking in 2019.

She said the exercise focused on how well money allocated to critical sectors of education, health, agriculture, water resources, and power, among other sectors, were utilised.

The first phase of the exercise was held in 2019 in 12 states and the FCT with 524 projects tracked. The second phase in 2020 had about 822 projects tracked in 16 states.

The commission revealed that the first two phases led to the recovery of assets worth billions of naira to the government and the return of equipment to communities.

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

(NAN)