Ini Billie, Uyo
The Federal Government has been urged to institute a judicial panel to try persons responsible for failed or abandoned projects and policies across the country.
Professor of Operations Research and Strategic Management, Department of Business Management, University of Uyo, Prof. Isaac Ayandele recommended appropriate punitive measures for groups or persons found culpable.
Speaking at the weekend in Uyo during the 93rd Inaugural Lecture of the University titled, “Wrong Diagnosis and Policy Somersaults: The Bane of Nigeria’s Development Strides”, Ayandele also called for a task force to take stock of all abandoned or failed projects and policies.
He advocated that the task force should work in collaboration with the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Nigerian Labour Unions and Nigerian Institute of Estate Valuers.
“The FG should set up a powerful task force in conjunction with the Nigerian Labour Congress, Nigerian Union of Journalists and Nigerian Institute of Estate Valuers to go around the entire country to take stock of abandoned or failed projects and policies.
“There should be a judicial panel that will try all those who deliberately abandoned and/or are involved in policy failures. Appropriate punitive measures be recommended for anyone or group found culpable or guilty.
“Action to recover values from all abandoned projects must be instituted with immediate effect. These could be in the form of outright sales at the current market price and not government auction or immediate revitalization of some of them to create job, enhance our GDP and serves as a source of income to the government,” he stated.
Ayandele emphasised the involvement of citizens in the monitoring of budgeted and funded projects, saying for proper execution of government projects there should be better governance structures such as a decision-making process to scrutinize a project before it is added to the budget.
He also stated that an independent monitoring organization should be established to complement the monitoring exercise of the government, adding that such an organization should work with recognized Project Management Organizations such as government advisors on the feasibility of proposed projects and as well as keep the public updated on the state of existing projects.