FG warns MDAs over non-compliance with zonal projects

The Federal Government on Tuesday said it has recorded measurable progress in the implementation of zonal intervention and constituency projects across the country, while issuing a firm warning to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to comply strictly with project verification guidelines or face sanctions. Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Hon. Zephaniah Jisalo, disclosed […]

The Federal Government on Tuesday said it has recorded measurable progress in the implementation of zonal intervention and constituency projects across the country, while issuing a firm warning to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to comply strictly with project verification guidelines or face sanctions.
Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Hon. Zephaniah Jisalo, disclosed this at the presentation of the Annual Status Report and launch of a compendium documenting projects executed under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Jisalo said the report and compendium were designed to strengthen transparency, accountability and public confidence in government interventions.
Providing a detailed breakdown of performance, the ministry’s permanent secretary, Dr Onwusoro Maduka Ihemelandu, said project verification improved significantly between 2023 and 2024, rising from 28.88 per cent to 43.13 per cent, attributing the increase to reforms and the deployment of a digital tracking system.
The permanent secretary said a total of about 772 projects and programmes have so far been verified and mandated nationwide, cutting across all geopolitical zones.
However, the government expressed concern over persistent non-compliance by some MDAs, particularly in failing to subject projects to mandatory verification before payment.
Citing a 2023 circular from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), the permanent secretary stressed that all implementing agencies must collaborate with the ministry for verification and certification before contractor payments are made.
“This aspect of our mandate has been flouted severally. Ignorance of the law is no excuse. MDAs must comply,” he said.
He warned that failure to adhere to the directive could attract administrative sanctions, including exclusion from future project implementation and referral to anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies.
The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, represented by the wife of the Vice President, Hajia Nana Shettima, called for greater transparency and accountability in public service delivery.
She said constituency and intervention projects remain critical tools for bridging the gap between government and the people, making development “visible, accessible, and responsive” to community needs.