ICPC reacts to controversy over N54.7 million borehole projects in Ondo
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has confirmed the successful completion and full functionality of three borehole projects in Ondo State executed under the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA). In a statement on Monday, ICPC spokesperson John Odey said the projects were tracked under the commission’s Constituency and Executive Projects Tracking Initiative (CEPTI), in collaboration with NPHCDA officials and accredited project management consultants. “The projects were approved at the NPHCDA Tenders Board meeting on 20 November 2024, and formally awarded the following day to Workman Network & Equipment Resources Ltd. The contract, valued at N54,758,244 inclusive of taxes, covered the drilling of motorized boreholes at selected primary health care centres in Ondo State,” Mr Odey said. According to ICPC, the boreholes were installed at Basic Health Centre, Danjuma in Akure South Local Government Area, Basic Health Centre, Awaye in Ile-Oluji/Oke Igbo Local Government Area, and Boa II Primary Health Centre in Akoko South West Local Government Area. “ICPC’s monitoring team confirmed that the boreholes were executed and are functional, providing much-needed potable water to the health facilities and surrounding communities,” the statement added. According to the statement, Mercy Ajiromoke, the Primary Health Care Officer-in-Charge at the Basic Health Centre in Ile-Oluji, Oke Igbo, Ondo State, commended the project, noting that it has resolved longstanding water shortages and significantly improved service delivery for residents. Background Verifying the borehole projects forms part of ICPC’s nationwide effort to promote transparency, accountability, and social responsibility in public-funded initiatives. READ ALSO: El-Rufai sues ICPC, magistrate, others for N1 billion over raid on his Abuja residence The CEPTI programme, launched in collaboration with citizens and civil society organisations, encourages community ownership of projects and ensures that abandoned or irregularly executed projects are corrected. Over the past two years, ICPC has tracked projects in states including Zamfara, Sokoto, and Ondo, compelling contractors to return to sites and recover funds where necessary. In Sokoto, for example, the commission monitored 64 federal projects valued at N21.6 billion, spanning health, education, water supply, agriculture, and electrification, correcting irregularities and enforcing compliance with contractual obligations. Earlier in February, ICPC partnered with the Ondo State Government to conduct a three-day capacity-building workshop across 18 local governments to strengthen fiscal discipline, revenue optimization, and ethical governance. Mr Odey reaffirmed ICPC’s commitment to social accountability and value-for-money in public projects, urging the public to provide information on the status of constituency and executive projects in their communities. Share this: Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window) Telegram Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email Click to print (Opens in new window) Print