Senate backs ICPC on project monitoring
The Senate yesterday expressed its support for the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to monitor federal constituency projects. It rejected an attempt to halt the anti-graft
The Senate yesterday expressed its support for the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to monitor federal constituency projects.
It rejected an attempt to halt the anti-graft agency’s tracking of projects executed across the country.
The Red Chamber’s position on the ICPC followed a heated debate during plenary after a motion by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu sought to stop the commission from monitoring constituency projects.
Kalu argued that the anti-corruption agency was encroaching on the statutory responsibilities of committees of the National Assembly of Nigeria, which are empowered to supervise and oversee the implementation of such projects.
But Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele opposed the proposal, insisting that the ICPC was acting within its legal mandate to promote transparency and accountability in the execution of publicly-funded projects.
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Bamidele told his colleagues that several lawmakers, including himself and Senate President Godswill Akpabio, had their constituency projects monitored by the anti-graft agency without raising objections.
“Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, the ICPC has the mandate to track projects. Even as the Leader of the Senate, my projects are being tracked in my constituency,” he said.
“Many of our colleagues here know that their projects are also being monitored. There is nothing to worry about because these are projects meant for the benefit of our constituents.”
The Senate Leader warned that stopping the anti-graft agency from carrying out its statutory duties would undermine transparency in the management of public funds.
Bamidele also raised procedural objections to the motion, arguing that it was defective because it was neither properly seconded nor compliant with Orders 41 and 51 of the Senate Standing Orders governing the introduction of motions.
According to him, since the motion lacked a seconder and did not obtain the consent of the chamber before presentation, it could not stand for debate.
“To the extent that it was not properly seconded and the necessary consent was not sought before presentation, the motion cannot stand,” he said.
Bamidele advised that concerns about the ICPC’s monitoring activities should be addressed administratively rather than through a motion on the floor of the Senate.
Earlier, Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, who presided over the plenary before Akpabio arrived, supported the view that project monitoring by the ICPC was necessary to ensure accountability in the use of public funds.
Barau stressed that contractors handling government-funded projects must be subjected to proper oversight to guarantee value for money.
When Akpabio later presided over the session, he ruled that the issue should be handled administratively, effectively ending the attempt to stop the ICPC from continuing its project-tracking exercise.
