Federal Govt Verifies 772 Constituency Projects, Warns MDAs Against Breach Of Accountability Rules

The Federal Government has disclosed that no fewer than 772 constituency and zonal intervention projects have been verified and certified across the country as part of efforts to strengthen transparency, accountability and effective service delivery under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Hon. Zephaniah Bitrus Jisalo, made the disclosure in Abuja during the presentation of the ministry’s annual status report and the launch of a compendium titled “Actualising President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda Through the Implementation of Zonal Intervention and Constituency Projects.”

Jisalo said the ministry had intensified monitoring, verification, certification and coordination of federal intervention projects nationwide between 2023 and 2025, covering key sectors including infrastructure, education, healthcare, water supply, rural electrification, security, women and youth empowerment as well as community development.

According to him, the publication of the compendium marks a major step toward institutionalising transparency and public accountability in government interventions while providing documented evidence of projects executed across the federation.

“The launch of this compendium represents a major milestone in documenting verified projects, promoting transparency and strengthening public confidence in government intervention programmes,” the minister said.

He noted that the Tinubu administration had made substantial investments in infrastructure development, economic reforms and constituency-based interventions that are directly impacting communities nationwide.

Providing details of the ministry’s performance, the permanent secretary, Dr. Onwusoro Maduka, revealed that the ministry verified and issued mandates for 772 projects and programmes across the six geopolitical zones between 2024 and 2025.

He explained that the ministry’s project verification performance improved significantly from 28.88 per cent in 2023 to 43.13 per cent in 2024 following the deployment of a Geographic Information System-Project Management Information System (GIS-PMIS), a digital platform designed to track, monitor and evaluate projects in real time.

Maduka said the platform has enhanced project tracking, geo-referenced verification, reporting efficiency and accountability in the implementation of constituency and zonal intervention projects nationwide.

The permanent secretary, however, expressed concern over the continued failure of some Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to comply with federal guidelines requiring constituency and zonal intervention projects to undergo verification before contractors are paid.

He warned that agencies that bypass the verification process risk administrative sanctions, exclusion from future implementation responsibilities and possible referral to anti-corruption and security agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Department of State Services (DSS) and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.

“Compliance with the SGF circular is mandatory to ensure transparency, accountability and value for public funds,” he said.

Maduka identified delayed project implementation, inadequate logistics for nationwide monitoring, weak inter-agency collaboration and late release of funds as major challenges affecting effective project oversight.

As part of plans to strengthen grassroots governance and citizen participation, the ministry announced three major national programmes for 2026. These include a National Conference of the 774 Local Government Chairmen, a National Honourees Conference and a nationwide Town Hall Community Sensitisation and Intervention Programme.

Meanwhile, First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu commended the ministry for introducing technology-driven mechanisms to monitor constituency projects and improve accountability in public spending.

Represented by the Wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Kashim Shettima, at the event, the First Lady described constituency projects as critical tools for bridging the gap between government and citizens and ensuring that development reaches communities directly.

She said the newly unveiled compendium provides an important reference point for measuring project impact, strengthening oversight and promoting good governance.

“I applaud the ministry for its innovative approach in deploying an application that tracks, monitors and evaluates zonal intervention and constituency projects in real time,” she said.

The First Lady urged legislators, development partners and implementing agencies to sustain collaboration and uphold the highest standards of transparency and due diligence in the execution of constituency projects.

She subsequently unveiled the 2023–2025 compendium, describing it as evidence of the government’s commitment to translating policy objectives into measurable benefits for Nigerians.