FG, ICPC Begin Verification Of Housing Projects Nationwide

The Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, in collaboration with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has commenced a joint nationwide verification and tracking of constituency and zonal intervention projects executed by the Ministry across the country.

The exercise is aimed at ensuring that all projects are delivered strictly in accordance with approved specifications, uphold principles of transparency and probity, and guarantee value for money for the Nigerian people.

The Ministry, through its Special Projects Unit, supervises the execution of Federal Government constituency and zonal intervention projects, while the ICPC serves as the statutory agency responsible for enforcing compliance, due diligence, and integrity in budget implementation and public expenditure.

The joint verification exercise was officially flagged off in Kano on Wednesday and is being conducted simultaneously in all states where the projects were implemented.

A statement sent to THE WHISLER by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Badamasi S. Haiba, stated that teams comprising officials of both institutions have been deployed nationwide to carry out on-the-spot inspection, verification, and assessment of project status and quality.

The statement quoted the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Shuaib Belgore, who spoke at the flag-off ceremony, as saying that the initiative was designed to evaluate the impact of constituency projects and ensure that Nigerians derive the intended socio-economic benefits.

He was represented by the Director, Special Projects Unit, Olatunde Ajayi.

“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 said that the exercise was a testament to the Ministry’s unwavering commitment to accountability, transparency, and responsible stewardship of public resources.

“The Ministry, in collaboration with relevant oversight agencies, will not hesitate to invite contractors for corrective action where deficiencies are identified, or demand refunds to government coffers where projects have clearly failed to meet contractual obligations,” he added.

According to him, reports generated from the exercise will support evidence-based decision-making, assist the Ministry in assessing the relevance and level of implementation of projects, and highlight areas requiring adjustment to strengthen future planning and interventions.

Also speaking, the ICPC Head of Constituency Projects Tracking, Bello Idris Bakori, noted that the commission’s participation reflects its mandate to prevent corruption through proactive monitoring of public projects.

He explained that the joint effort is intended to deter sharp practices, promote transparency in project execution, and ensure that public funds allocated to constituency interventions translate into tangible development outcomes for citizens.

Bakori assured that findings from the exercise would be thoroughly documented and followed up in line with extant laws and procedures to safeguard public interest.