Hold FEC responsible for uncompleted constituency projects, lawmaker tells Nigerians

From Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

The member representing Ika North East Constituency at the Delta State House of Assembly, Anthony Emeka Elekeokwuri has called on Nigerians to hold the Federal Executive Council responsible for uncompleted constituency projects at all levels of government. Elekeokwuri who spoke to journalists on Wednesday in Asaba while reacting to the recent report by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission ( ICPC) on the huge number of uncompleted projects across the federation, said it was not the duty of lawmakers to execute projects, “Lawmakers don’t execute constituency projects but rather nominate and once nomination is done, it’s the duty of the ministry responsible for that projects to make sure that the Jobs are awarded and executed.”
Emphasizing that issues of executed constituency projects were strange in Delta state, Elekeokwuri said” it’s often strange to me when people say constituency projects are not completed and monies collected, in this Governor Ifeanyi Okowa”s administration, it’s not even possible because how is one going to be given certificate or even get paid without executing the project?”
According to him, if at the national level, there are claims that awarded constituency projects were not executed, questions should be directed to the arm of government that paid the contractors.
“If they are saying that constituency projects are not to be found anywhere, the question then is who paid? I don’t know why they are trying to implicate the House members because ordinarily, members of the legislature nominate these projects, the executive awards and whether or not the job is done, it’s for the executive to find out, the pertinent question therefore is why do you give certificate of completion for jobs that are not done? And I will say these things unequivocally and without mincing words, the executive is responsible for payments and are also responsible for certification, if the contractors of those projects get paid, it’s the executive that is responsible and as such should be held responsible,” he explained further.