The Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) has vowed to withhold payment for constituency projects executed nationwide that do not follow the Federal Government’s guidelines and circulars on execution.
The Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Mr. Babatunde Ogunjimi, made this known when the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Mr. Onwusoro Maduka Ihemelandu, visited him in Abuja.
Ogunjimi reaffirmed the support of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) for the campaign by the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs to enforce compliance with government guidelines and circulars on execution and payment for constituency projects.
“We will give bite to these guidelines; we will ensure that these guidelines are projected adequately and that they become part of the prerequisite documentation for all constituency projects,”;; the AGF said.
He noted that the guidelines on constituency projects will be made an important part of discussions at all OAGF engagements with its stakeholders and that the Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs will be given the opportunity to make presentations at such occasions.
Ogunjimi stated further that in OAGF circulars on closure and capital projects, emphasis will be made on compliance with the guidelines on constituency projects.
He advised the Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs to continue the engagement with relevant government agencies, stakeholders, and the National Assembly to increase awareness of the guidelines and circulars.
Speaking earlier, the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Ihemelandu, requested that no payments should be made for constituency projects that are not executed in line with the Federal Government guidelines and circulars and duly certified by his ministry.
The permanent secretary observed that despite the federal government’s guidelines and circulars, many agencies have executed and paid for constituency projects without adherence to the guidelines and circulars and due verification. According to him, this practice does not allow the government to get maximum value for the funds spent on these projects.
Ihemelandu called for collaboration between his ministry and the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) to guarantee that the guidelines are implemented fully and no payments are made for constituency projects unless after verification by his ministry.
