Investigate Enugu lawmakers’ constituency project, lawyer charges ICPC

Lagos based lawyer and human right activist, Mr. Osita Enwe has urged the chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC), to investigate the constituency projects sponsored by each member of the Enugu State House of Assembly (ESHA) from year 2000 to May 2019.

The lawyer said he is doing so because the practice of nominating constituency projects and their implementation supposed to be public knowledge, in a letter he addressed to ICPC chairman and dated August 23, 2019. His words: “I understand that each member of ESHA is required to present receipts showing expenses arising from and relating to office running costs to ESHA, prior to any disbursement- these are monies paid to each member for the period on grounds of purported expenses arising from its public duties.

“I request that you enquire into and examine the practices, processes and procedures by which ESHA disburses and disbursed office running costs to its members for the period given that its practices, processes and procedures appear to facilitate corruption and fraud among some of its officials and members.”

Enwe, who hails from Enugu also urged the Commission to examine the practices, systems and procedures by which members of the House nominate constituency projects including its implementations by MDGAs for the period in view of the fact that its practices appear to facilitate corruption and fraud among some public officials and contractors.

“I enjoin your good office to direct and supervise the review of the fore named practices, systems and procedures to install best practices and ethics aimed at preventing corrupt practices and other related offences, including reward system for escalation of any suspicious or corrupt practices,” he stated.He stressed that his decision to call for the investigation is fueled by the Commission’s Constituency Project Tracking Group campaign.