The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has criticised civic accountability organisation Tracka over its recent report on Federal Government projects in Bende Federal Constituency, accusing the organisation of publishing unverified information and creating a misleading impression about his role in project implementation.
In a statement, Kalu expressed concern over what he described as Tracka’s recent conduct, saying the organisation, widely known as a non-governmental, non-profit and non-political body, appeared to have departed from its reputation for objectivity.
According to him, the publication and subsequent removal of the report from Tracka’s social media platform raised questions about the credibility of the information it contained.
The Deputy Speaker said it was disappointing that his photograph was attached to what he described as unverified claims before the report was later deleted, arguing that the development had already contributed to the spread of misinformation across several online platforms.
Kalu stressed that while freedom of information and freedom of expression are fundamental rights, they do not justify the dissemination of false or unverified information.
He urged organisations and members of the public to verify facts with his office before publishing reports relating to projects facilitated through his office, describing Tracka’s approach as unprofessional and suggestive of a “witch-hunt.”
The Deputy Speaker also sought to clarify the constitutional responsibilities of members of the National Assembly, explaining that lawmakers facilitate the inclusion of projects in the national budget through the Appropriation Act but do not execute the projects.
According to him, responsibility for procurement, contract awards and project implementation rests with the Executive through the relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), while legislators exercise oversight by reviewing budget implementation reports to ensure compliance.
He noted that lawmakers neither supervise contractors nor issue completion certificates for projects, adding that any assessment of project execution should take into account the statutory roles of the implementing agencies.
Kalu questioned why Tracka removed the publication if it was confident in the accuracy of its findings, suggesting that the organisation should reflect on the incident and adopt more rigorous verification procedures in future.
He maintained that organisations engaged in public accountability should channel their inquiries to the appropriate authorities to ensure balanced and factual reporting, while expressing hope that the situation would be addressed appropriately.
The Deputy Speaker’s remarks come amid ongoing public debate over the status of several Federal Government projects in Bende Federal Constituency.
