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Daniel Adaji
The Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Babatunde Ogunjimi, has said that no payment will be made for constituency projects unless they are duly verified and executed in line with Federal Government guidelines.
He said this in Abuja on Thursday when the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Onwusoro Ihemelandu, paid him a courtesy visit.
“We will give bite to these guidelines; we will ensure that this guidelines is projected adequately and that it becomes part of the prerequisite documentation for all constituency projects,” Ogunjimi said.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) to support the enforcement of government circulars and ensure that all payments for constituency projects strictly follow due process.
Ogunjimi added that the guidelines would become a key component of OAGF stakeholder engagements and that the Ministry of Special Duties would be given the opportunity to present at such forums.
“In our circulars on closure and capital projects, emphasis will be made on compliance with the guidelines on constituency projects,” he said.
The AGF encouraged the Ministry to intensify engagement with relevant agencies, stakeholders, and the National Assembly to drive awareness and enforcement.
Earlier, Mr. Ihemelandu had called for strict adherence to the verification process, insisting that no payments should be approved without certification from his Ministry.
“Many Agencies have executed and paid for constituency projects without adherence to the guidelines and circulars and due verification,” he said.
He noted that the lack of compliance undermines the value derived from public funds and urged for stronger collaboration with the OAGF to ensure full implementation of the guidelines.
“The Ministry is determined to ensure that government gets maximum value from constituency project spending. We appeal that no payment be made unless our Ministry has verified the project,” he added.