The Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has expressed dismay that the N100 billion annual allocation to constituency projects across Nigeria was yet to achieve the Federal Government’s objective.

The ICPC Chairman, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye stated this on Thursday in Abuja during a special town hall meeting on the fight against corruption organized by the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture in conjunction with the National Orientation Agency (NOA).

Owasanoye regretted that the lofty initiative of the Federal Government had not made any significant or meaningful impact in the lives of communities in the country in terms of infrastructure development.

His words: “If we genuinely spend N2 trillion on infrastructure development over a period of 10 years, it will diminish the tension and the escalation of discontent.” 

Owasanoye said that the principal focus of the first phase of the mandate of the tracking committee set up to prove how the constituency funds were expended on health and education sectors started some months ago.

The ICPC boss said that the tracking committee was made up of representatives from Budget Office, Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Bureau of Public Procurement and Office of the Auditor-General.

While describing the outcome of the first phase as revealing and interesting, Owasanoye added that all monies meant for constituency projects which were not executed or completed have been recovered.

“At least 200 contractors returned to site even before we got to them with some sponsors of the projects going back to complete them.

“In some cases, when the empowerment items were locked up somewhere because somebody wanted to trade them off, we gave them one week to distribute such items to the beneficiaries.

“For me, it makes more sense rather than arresting a senator and locking him up without delivering the items or facilities to the intended beneficiaries.

“With this approach, we may not see the sponsors in jail but the idea is that the communities will be happy and we will be happy also,” he added.