By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
The Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC) is to begin the first leg of its 2020 physical verification of selected federal government capital projects across the six geo-political zones of the country on Monday, November 30, 2020
In a statement by FRC Head of Strategic Communications, Anyanwu Bede Ogueri on Friday, said the projects earmarked for the first leg of the verification are those in the South-East and North-East zones of the country, valued at N1.6 Trillion.
Addressing the verification teams in the Commission on Friday, the Acting Chairman, Chief Victor Muruako enjoined them to carry out the assignments with great diligence and sense of purpose as the exercise is one of the core mandates of the commission.
He further told them to verify the actual existence of the projects as well as monitor the progress of the work done so far.
Muruako said the verification exercise is further designed to give fillip to the next level agenda of the present administration in the area of prudence, value-for-money and transparency. The effort is to meet the yearnings of the people.
The verification, he continued must also be done within the ambit of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF). He explained that this was to ensure that government embark on projects that it had ability to fund, adding that with MTEF, cases of abandoned projects will now cease to exist.
According to section 18 (1) of the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA), 2007. “The Medium Term Expenditure Framework shall be the basis for the preparation of the estimates of revenue and expenditure required to be prepared and laid before the National Assembly under Section 81(1) of the Constitution”.
The Act says further: The Medium-Term Expenditure Framework shall contain: “A Macro-Economic Framework setting out the macroeconomic projections, for the next three financial years, the underlying assumptions for those projections and an evaluation and analysis of the macroeconomic projections and an evaluation and analysis of the macroeconomic projections for the preceding three financial year”.
The verification exercise is also to determine projects that needed funding in line with the completion targets and to reduce to the barest minimum, approvals for new capital projects for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) where the existing indebtedness to contractors is in billions of naira and ensure there is value for money.
Some of the projects earmarked for verification in the South-East include construction of main works for the 2nd Niger bridge linking Anambra and Delta States, Mbaise Ring Road Intersection; Owerri-Umuahia Road with drainage and Construction of Uzi-Uhabiri- Umuchime Orioji Ossah Community road Umuahia North of Abia State.
Others are, construction of Orie Lomara (Igwebuike) road Abia State, rehabilitation of outstanding section of Onitsha-Enugu Expressway: Amansea –Enugu State border; rehabilitation of Old Enugu Port-Harcourt road (Agbogugu-Abia border spur to Mmaku), Reconstruction of Elele –Owerri road, Construction of road with link bridge (Onukpaka) between Okwu Ikeduru and Ogwuma Community Ahiazu Mbaise in Imo State.
The rest are, Upgrading equipment of rental dialysis centre, Completion of a two story Ward Block, Completion of construction of MRI Building and Equipping, Construction of Specialist Out-patient Building Complex, Abakaliki Amasiri 132kv Dc line and Construction of Town Hall Ezieche Awulu.
Projects earmarked for verification in the North West include Abu Zaria Water Project, Completion of Renovation/Facelift of Female ward, Male ward, Pharmacy Blocked Conveniences, Construction of Administrative block with concrete facia and construction of Sanitary and Quarter Guard at Futua Area Command Head Quarters in Katsina, Construction of bedroom SPO’s and boys quarters with concrete facia and construction f Main Rank and file Quarters with concrete facia at Funtua Command Headquarters in Katsina State.
Others are, Rehabilitation of Sokoto-Tambuwal-Jega-Katangora-Makera Section in Sokoto / Kebbi States. Completion, furnishing and equipping of Dialysis Centrein Zamfara State
The Chairman directed the Verification teams to submit the results of their reports as they are back enable the Commission send same to the appropriate government agencies for further action.
