Constituency projects: Only Special Duties Ministry can certify payments – FG

The Federal Government says only the Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs has the mandate to certify payments for Zonal Intervention Projects/Constituency Projects executed by Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

The Head, Press and Public Relations Officer of the ministry, Anastasia Ogbonna, made this known on Monday.

According to Ogbonna in a statement, the Federal Government made this known in a Servicewide Circular titled: “Revised Guidelines on the  Implementation of Zonal Intervention Projects (ZIP) and Constituency Projects.”

The circular, which was signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, stated: “No payment shall be made to any contractor for ZIP/CP by MDAs without verification of the execution of such projects/programmes and certification by Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs.

“Implementing MDAs shall invite the ministry to verify all  (ZIP/CP) as contained in both ZIP Appropriation and Capital Appropriation.”

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The circular, according to Ogbonna, added that non-compliance with the guidelines will lead to lack of proper implementation of the programmes and projects.

On the issue of funding for the verification exercise, the circular stated: “Funds for the purpose of this verification exercise shall be sourced from the Project Administration Funds of the ZIP/CP under the purview of the various MDAs.”

The circular further stated that it had become imperative to reissue it again, following flagrant disregard by implementing MDAs, adding: “Henceforth, MDAs that fail to comply with this circular shall be excluded from the implementation of ZIP/CP in subsequent Federal Government budgets.”