The federal government has said that only the Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs (FMSDIGA) has the mandate to certify payments for Zonal Intervention Projects and Constituency Projects executed by ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
This is contained in a service wide circular titled, “Revised Guidelines on the Implementation of Zonal Intervention Projects (ZIP) and Constituency Projects (CP),” signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume.
“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 FMSDIGA.
“Implementing MDAs shall invite the FMSDIGA to verify all zonal Intervention/Constituency Projects (ZIP/CP) as contained in both ZIP Appropriation and Capital Appropriation,” adding that non-compliance with the guidelines has led to a lack of proper implementation of the programmes and projects,” the circular said.
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.”
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The circular added that it became imperative to re-issue the circular, following flagrant disregard by implementing MDAs, and that henceforth, MDAs that fail to comply with this circular shall be excluded from the implementation of ZIP/CP in subsequent FGN budgets.
