ICPC begins tracking of N4.5bn projects in Yobe

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) 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 in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) 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 said the team of trackers comprised ICPC officials, quantity surveyors, journalists and Civil Society Organisations.

Mr Emmanuel said the same exercise was going on in Katsina, Kano, Sokoto, Adamawa, Plateau, Kogi, Benue, Ondo, Osun, Lagos, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Edo, Anambra and Imo States as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

NAN reports that the ICPC, in a recent statement by its spokesperson, Azuka Ogugua, said project tracking was initiated by the commission 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, 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. (NAN)