By Peter Omopo
The Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, in collaboration with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has commenced a nationwide verification and tracking of constituency and zonal intervention projects executed by the ministry across the country.
The initiative, according to the ministry, is aimed at ensuring that all projects are delivered in line with approved specifications, promote transparency and probity, and guarantee value for money in the use of public funds.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the ministry explained that while its Special Projects Unit supervises the execution of Federal Government constituency and zonal intervention projects, the ICPC is responsible for enforcing compliance, due diligence and integrity in budget implementation and public expenditure.
The joint verification exercise is being conducted simultaneously in all states where the projects were implemented. Teams made up of officials from both institutions have been deployed nationwide to carry out on-the-spot inspections, verify project status and assess the quality of completed and ongoing works.
Speaking on the exercise, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Shuaib Belgore, represented by the Director of the Special Projects Unit, Olatunde Ajayi, said the initiative was designed to evaluate the impact of constituency projects and ensure that Nigerians benefit from them.
“This joint verification and tracking exercise with the ICPC is aimed at evaluating the impact of these projects and ensuring that they are executed to standard for the benefit of the people,” Belgore said.
He stressed that the exercise underscored the ministry’s commitment to accountability, transparency and responsible management of public resources, while also serving as a warning to contractors handling government projects.
According to him, the ministry, working with relevant oversight agencies, would not hesitate to invite contractors for corrective action where deficiencies are identified, or demand refunds to government coffers where projects fail to meet contractual obligations.
Belgore added that reports generated from the exercise would support evidence-based decision-making, help assess the relevance and level of project implementation, and identify areas requiring improvement to strengthen future planning and interventions.
Also speaking, the ICPC Head of Constituency Projects Tracking, Bello Idris Bakori, said the commission’s participation aligned with its mandate to prevent corruption through proactive monitoring of public projects.
He explained that the joint exercise was intended to deter sharp practices, promote transparency in project execution and ensure that funds allocated to constituency interventions translate into tangible development outcomes.
Bakori assured that findings from the exercise would be properly documented and followed up in line with existing laws and procedures to safeguard public interest.
Projects inspected during the flag-off in Kano State included the provision and installation of solar streetlights in Government Girls Secondary School, Kwa, Bichi Local Government Area, and Rimingado Local Government Area. Others were the construction of a sporting facility, including an indoor complex, football pitch and pavilion in Gwarzo town, as well as the Badume–Kyauta Road in Dawakin Tofa and Bichi local governments.
The tracking of projects in Kano State continues on Thursday.
The initiative builds on broader anti-corruption tracking efforts by the ICPC, which has monitored constituency and executive projects since 2019. In the past, the commission has tracked billions of naira worth of projects, compelled contractors to return to abandoned sites and recovered funds and assets for government coffers.
