Nigerian Police, Others Sabotaging Project Tracking - FCT Community Alleges.

The leadership of Pegi Community in Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, has indicted Police authorities in the community of inhibiting their efforts in tracking of road project awarded by government since 2011.

It will be recalled that the construction of the 14.7km Pegi-Dafara road by FCTA have repeatedly been included in the FCT budget in the last four years but was abandoned for lack of funding.

The Chairman of Pegi Estate Community Development Association, Mr Isaac Aderibigbe made the revelation on during a radio program, PUBLIC CONSCIENCE produced by the Progressive Impact Organization for Community Development, PRIMORG.

The community had agitated and sought the explanation in a bid to get FCTA to act, however, the suspicion has been that the project although in the budget, has been used to make money available to government officials.

While explaining the challenges the community encountered in monitoring projects, Aderibigbe had these to say: “Unfortunately some unscrupulous elements in the Nigerian Police in the rank and file have been aiding contractors and other collaborators within the community.

“In a bid to sabotage our efforts, the Nigerian Police have been denying us access to the project site which we are the ultimate beneficiary,” Aderibigbe said.

He, however, noted that the Police have undoubtedly done well in stemming the tide of kidnapping in the community.

Legal adviser to the community, Mr Abba Chuks Martins attributed the successes the community had recorded in tracking the project to their determination, organisation, sincerity of purpose and self motivation.

Martins said the contract which is worth N676,463,263,30 was awarded in March 2011. Adding that the construction of Pegi-Dafara road has been a recurring decima and embarrassing to not only the residents but FCTA.

He further revealed that investigation shows the contractor was mobilised 15% of the total contract sum which amounted to about N110 million and still failed to deliver the project from 2011 till date.

Earlier, a co-convener of the programme, Mr Okhiria Agbosuremi tasked Nigerians on participation and engagement in tracking of projects in their various communities.

“When a project is going on, the residents of the community should not sit idle. It is not the Minster, Senator or House of Representatives members that owns the project. So if it is your project you must know exactly what the project entails ,” Agbosuremi said.