The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has embarked on phase 7 tracking of Constituency and Executive Projects across Niger State.

A tracker from the ICPC, Sai’du Yahaya, disclosed this to journalists during the exercise in Minna on Thursday.

He said about 80 projects would be tracked across various sectors, including education, healthy water resources, power, empowerment and agriculture, amongst others.

Mr Yahaya disclosed that the projects, valued at N13.9 billion, commenced in 2022 and 2023.

He said, “The primary objective of the tracking exercise is to ensure that federal government projects are executed according to specifications and contract agreements. This is also to detect potential fraud and identify instances of contractors or supervisors conspiring to defraud the federal government. It is also to ensure quality execution, that is, to verify if projects met contractual specifications.’’

He stated that the commission was collaborating with the Nigeria Institute of Quality Surveyors to assess the projects to enable it to recover any losses from contractors from projects found to be substandard.

He said the Nigeria Institute of Quality Surveyors was to provide expert valuation and assessment services to ensure that project specifications wet met and that contractors delivered quality work.

Mr Yahaya disclosed that the exercise would cover the three senatorial zones in Niger State.

The seventh phase, involving 1,500 projects with a total project value of N610 billion, commenced on November 18 in 22 states across the six geopolitical zones.

The states are Kwara, Niger, Kogi, FCT, Kebbi, Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Borno, Lagos, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Cross River, Delta, Imo, Abia and Enugu states.

The phase 7 tracking exercise will cut across government intervention on Rural Electrification Agency (REA), National Primary Health Care Development Authority (NPHCDA), Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) and Ecological Funds. 

(NAN)