The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, has commenced the tracking of 64 executive and constituency projects valued at approximately N21.6 billion in Sokoto State.

The investigative effort falls under Phase 8 of the ICPC Constituency and Executive Projects Tracking, CEPT, programme, which is currently ongoing in several states across the country.

Mr Aminu Bala, the Team Leader, on Monday announced that the team would inspect projects across various sectors, including health, education, water supply, agriculture, special intervention, and electrification.

According to Bala, the team had already identified irregularities in some projects executed in Kalambaina and Gwuiwa in Wamakko Local Government Area, as well as Mabera and Mana in Sokoto South LGA.

He said the projects did not meet the contract specifications and require redress.

“However, in all the projects identified, our team had instructed the contractors to immediately return to site and do the needful.

“These projects include a Science Laboratory at the Senior Secondary School, Kalambaina, and water schemes at Gwuiwa, Mabera, and Mana,” he said.

Bala added that the 64 projects were awarded under 14 Federal Government agencies and were expected to have been fully executed.

“These projects were awarded at an approximate cost of N21.6 billion and are expected to be fully executed.

“Our group, consisting of members from the ICPC, the Nigeria Institute of Quantity Surveyors, Civil Society Organisations and the media, had fully commenced the exercise.

“We are to monitor and assess project performance, value of work done, contractor identification, payment details, and project status,” he said.

He explained that part of the team’s goal was to determine the value and impact of the projects on the communities they were meant to serve.

The Umuahia Capital Development Authority, UCDA, has said that it will commence the demolition of illegal structures, attachments, shanties, containers and street obstructions in Umuahia, the state capital today, Monday.

The General Manager of UCDA, Mr. Kingsley Agomoh, who disclosed this to journalists in Umuahia, weekend, said the exercise followed the expiration of the grace period given to property owners in Umuahia after a series of engagements.

He said that the planned demolition was in line with the Abia State government’s resolve to enhance the aesthetics of the State, in accordance with extant laws.

Mr Agomoh explained that the current administration in Abia was committed to giving the state capital the desired physical outlook.

He said that owners of containers, shanties and other street obstructions who failed to dismantle them by Sunday, would have such structures dismantled and impounded.

The UCDA General Manager also ordered the owners of Petrol and Gas stations built near residential areas to immediately present their documents for revalidation.