FRC Commences Verification of N2.9tr Fed Govt Projects
By Patience Ikpeme
The Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC) has started the physical verification of selected federal government’s capital projects worth N2.9 trillion as earmarked in the 2024 fiscal budget across the six geo-political zones of the country. This initiative aims to ensure transparency and value-for-money in government projects.
The projects earmarked for physical verification are spread across the South-East, South-West, South-South, North-Central, North-East, and North-West geo-political zones of the country. The verification exercise is set to begin on Monday, January 29, 2023.
In a statement issued on Saturday by Bede Ogueri Anyanwu, the FRC spokesperson, the commission urged its staff assigned for the exercise to carry out their tasks diligently and with a sense of purpose. The physical verification is a core mandate of the commission and is aimed at meeting the aspirations of the people.
The verification exercise is designed to support President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s renewed Hope Agenda, focusing on prudence, value-for-money, and transparency. It will ensure that the projects actually exist and monitor the progress of the work done thus far.
Chief Victor Murako, the Executive Chairman of the FRC, emphasized that the verification should be conducted within the framework of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF). This framework serves as the basis for estimating revenue and expenditure, aiming to prevent cases of abandoned projects and ensure proper funding.
According to Section 18(1) of the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA), 2007, the Medium Term Expenditure Framework provides a macroeconomic framework for the next three financial years, including projections, assumptions, and evaluations of previous projections. This verification exercise aims to determine the funding requirements and minimize approvals for new capital projects in ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) with significant outstanding debts to contractors.
The South-East region has several projects targeted for verification, such as the rehabilitation of the Bende-Arochukwu-Ohafia Road Section I, the Nnenwe-Oduma-Mpu-Uburu road, the Ezelakpata Water Supply project, and various construction projects at the Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki.
In the South-South region, projects include the dualization of the Sapele-Ewu Road, the rehabilitation of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, and the dualization of the Jattu-Fugar-Agenebode Road. The region also has projects in the healthcare sector, such as the construction of the NHIS/Retainership Complex and the Cancer Centre Phase 1.
In the South-West, projects like the dualization of the Lagos-Otta road, the rehabilitation of the Ikorodu-Shagamu road, and the construction of the Ile Ife Dam are among those earmarked for verification.
The North-Central region will see the verification of projects like the construction of hostels and staff quarters in Plateau State and the NDLEA Zonal Command in Benue State.
The North-East region has projects like the completion of the Medical Record Complex, the Trauma Centre, and the Specialty Clinic Complex, among others.
Finally, the North-West region will have projects like the rehabilitation of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Road, the construction of the Kano Western Bye-Pass, and various construction projects in Katsina and Kano States.
The verification exercise is a crucial step towards ensuring that government projects are effectively executed, funds are properly allocated, and the aspirations of the people are met. It reflects the commitment of the administration to transparency, accountability, and good governance.
