N2 billion 2015 Constituency projects approved for NASS members missing in 6 states ―Group

 

A Rights Group, the Alliance for Credible Elections (ACE)  at the weekend raised the alarm   that a total of 182 federal capital projects approved in the 2015 appropriation Act totaling over N2billion as Constituency projects for the members of the National Assembly were missing in six States of the Federation across the Six geo- political Zones.

The affected  States are  Benue, Imo, Ekiti, Jigawa, Cross River, and Gombe.
Addressing news   men in Abuja on Friday, the  Acting General Secretary of the group,Ms. Mma Odi‎, while presenting a-152 page report on budget tracking of the 2015 appropriation Act declared that the trend was against the anti-corruption of the present administration

Odi stated that the Group  would make the Report available to the leadership of the National Assembly immediately.

She however clarified that the action  was not to name and shame those involved but to ensure that the implement of the projects through oversight function by respective MDAs.
According to her, ACE-Nigeria Project was aimed at  promoting citizens’ participation in the fight against corruption and good governance in Nigeria through mobilisation and building capacity of citizens and groups, as well as tracking capital projects in the six states, adding that each state was selected from the geo-political zone.

 Odi pointed out hat  899 citizens were mobilized, while a total of  1,232 stakeholders were trained for the project.

She stated that  ACE  discovered that some projects have been completed, some of the ones completed are not being used by the communities, some are on-going, some were pay executed while  some are  abandoned and some not executed at all.

According to her, “in  Benue State, 37  capital projects were identified and tracked, while seven (7) cannot be fully identified amounting to N247,750,000

“The breakdown of some of the  projects that are yet to be properly or fully identified include;”Sentisation of Human Rights Abuses for 10,000 persons in conflict areas of Gboko/Tarka LGAs with a sum of N85,000,000. Skill Acquisition Training & Empowerment, at‎ Oju/Obi Fed Constituency ‎a tN12,250,000.HIV/AIDS Awareness Campaign/free medicine outreach at Apa and Agatu LGA, N50,000,000,” among other.

“The situation was the same in Cross River State, as ACE was able to  identified and tracked 18 capital projects, while 14 capital projects cannot be identified amounting to N435,000,000

‎”Some of the projects that the group was unable to identified  include:‎ “Provision of water projects in selected communities of Obubra LGA at‎ N187,500,000.‎Grants to Purpose Cooperative Socities in Obanliku/Obudu/Bekwarra LGA, at the sum of N20,000,000.‎‎ Supply of tricycles to selected youth in Ikom LG CRS at N50,000,000.”

She further explained that in Ekiti State,12 capital projects were identified and tracked, while 10 capital projects cannot be identified amounting to N391,834,008.

‎These include; Supply of motorcycles (Jincheng) to Ekiti West, Efon, Ijero LGAs at N43,000,000.

Training and empowerment  project in Ado Ekiti& Irepodun/Ifelodun LGA‎ at N42,500,000.

Vocational Training for  400 women across Ekiti north federal constituency II‎ at N41,666,750‎ among others.

In Gombe State, the group  identified and tracked 10 capital projects, while  seven capital projects to the tune of N265,000,000 were not identified.

‎A breakdown of the unidentified projects showed that, “Training research and development in Yamaltu/Deba federal constituency, the project was supposed to be implemented by the National Human Rights at the cost of N75,000,000

‎”Supply of computers and other ICT equipment at G.G.S.S, Tula Kaltungo LGA, at the cost of N‎20,000,000. Purchase of empowerment materials, sewing machines, grinding machines, hair dressing equipment and food items at Balanga/Billiri federal constituency ‎at the cost of N40,000,000.”

‎‎Odi explained further that ACE was able to identified and tracked 79 capital projects in Imo state. She added that out of 18 projects that  were not fully identified, 13 were not seen, 11 projects identified, while 4 projects were tracked.

The unidentified projects include; “Liability for the Nodal Expansion for NASENI programme at Ahiara Mbaise at the cost of ‎N30,000,000.‎Liability  for the Installation of solar lights in communities in Imo. No location was given at the cost of  N50,000,000. Procurement  and Installation of equipment at Waste Recycling facility at Owerri to the tune of N80,000,000″‎ among others.

In Jigawa State, the group was able to identified and tracked 14  capital projects, while note that 16 projects could not be identified.

These include; “Hand pump powered boreholes in Babura/Garki  federal constituency at ‎N30,000,000. Purchase  of fertiliser of NPK/UREA in Dutse/Kiyawa‎ at N30,000,000. Industrial Data Bank Upgrade NIS‎ at the cost of N38,000,000.”

Odi revealed that fresh awareness about the project and the boldness of the stakeholders to ask questions had resulted to the mobilisation of contractors back to the site of Mbaise link road in Imo State.

This according to her also include the completion of Erosion and flood control works on road, as well as the construction of the drainage from Akabo Ikeduru Local Government to Amankuta Mberi Mbaitoli LGA, Imo State.