ICPC, NIQS partner to probe NASS constituency projects

The Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) have entered into a partnership to evaluate executed constituency projects by members of the National Assembly. Last week, President Muhammadu Buhari said there was little to show for over N1tn budgeted for constituency projects of National Assembly members in the last […]

The Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) have entered into a partnership to evaluate executed constituency projects by members of the National Assembly.

Last week, President Muhammadu Buhari said there was little to show for over N1tn budgeted for constituency projects of National Assembly members in the last 10 years.

The president, who indicted the legislators while speaking at a national summit on: “Diminishing Corruption in the Public Service”, in Abuja, disclosed that a report had confirmed government’s fear that constituency projects did not get to the ordinary people as initially envisaged.

The partnership between NIQS and ICPC is to enable the professional costing and valuation of the executed projects to ensure that government gets value for money spent.

Speaking to reporters in Lagos, the immediate past President of NIQS, Obafemi Onashile, said, “A politician is saying an overhead tank cost N200m. Accountants can agree and process, but quantity surveyors have a cost database to benchmark any construction.

“We are doing this as an independent assessor, virtually pro-bono. We have gone into this agreement to work as professionals; not as contractors.”

He said the partnership was based on the request of the ICPC and the institute.