Lawmakers jittery as constituents demand explanation over N1 trillion constituency projects

Tony Akowe, Abuja




LAWMAKERS are in jitters over their constituents’ demands for explanation over President Muhammadu Buhari’s statement that there is nothing to show for the N1 trillion voted for the National Assembly’s constituency projects in the last 10 years.

House of Representatives Minority Leader Ndudi Elumelu (PDP, Delta) told his colleagues at plenary on Wednesday that his constituents had been calling him to know what happened to the money.

He said he was finding it difficult explaining to them that while N1 trillion was budgeted in the last 10 years for the projects, the amount released was below 50 percent.

Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila said the President’s statement emanated from a report by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The Speaker said the ICPC failed to distinguish between budgeted fund and actual releases, asking the commission and other related agencies to be diligent in their investigations and not put the people’s welfare at stake.

He said “I think it is a breach of our collective privilege as a House and not one person. My concern is the unintended consequences of words spoken. These are words emanating from a report by ICPC.

“There could be unintended consequences that could come out of it. You put people ‘s wellbeing at risk. I feel it is okay to use the National Assembly as the whipping boy. The fact is that there is the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act.

“The ICPC could easily invoke their power of investigation and look at releases as compared to what was budgeted. The ICPC that made the report. I don’t think they will appreciate if the House, in the discharge of its constitutional responsibilities, did an oversight on ICPC based on what was budgeted as opposed to what was released to them.

“When you break an egg, it is going to be difficult to put it together. I will use this medium to send this message across to ICPC and other agencies to do their work of investigation well. There is a difference between money budgeted and money released. It is as simple as ABC.”

Presenting the matter under order 6 rules 3 and 4, which deals with privileges, Elumelu said: “I saw a statement in the newspapers all dated 20th November 2019 and one thing is very consistent in them and that is the comment credited to our amiable President saying that N1 trillion was made available in the last 10 years to the National Assembly for constituency projects and that there was no value for the money spent.
“Yes, in the last 10 years, N1 trillion was actually made available by way of budgeting N100 billion annually for constituency projects. Truly, our constituents do not have value for such provisions.

“But one thing I am worried about is that words have meanings. My constituents called to ask me to give account of the money that came to my constituency. I had so many calls and it was difficult for me to explain.

“My worry and why I am bringing this up is that, yes N100 billion was budgeted annually, but actual releases were not up to 50 percent. In actual sense and even this year, we have not gotten releases of more than 40 percent. I can conveniently tell you that only about 30 percent has been released”.

The lawmaker noted that section 4 of the 1999 Constitution as amended says: “we should make budgets and if we pass budget in this house, the onus is now on the executive to implement and award contract.

“We don’t award contracts. I don’t know of any member who is a member of the Tenders Board. In effect, the National Assembly has nothing to do with the execution of any contract.

“It is painful that the agency that generated that information failed to state that while it is true that N1 trillion was budgeted in the last 10 years, this money has not been released.

“I am not happy because the information is capable of giving me a bad name before my community. The ICPC that wrote this report failed to tell the truth of how much was actually released.

“When you say N1 trillion is budgeted like the President said, if that money was released completely, there will be value commensurate to the money. I wonder why the ICPC man failed to look at what was released. Why should ours be a subject of debate that they will tell Nigerians we received N1 trillion when that was budgeted, but not released.

“My message is that we should let them know that while N1 trillion was budgeted for constituency projects, by way of releases, we did not receive that because what was released was less that 40 percent.”

Tobi Okechukwu (PDP, Anambra) said when you say N1 trillion was made available for constituency projects, it presupposes that you will expect to see a worth of such amount.

He insisted that in the last 10 years, the House had appropriated an average of N70 trillion budget for the country, stressing that it also presupposes that there should be commensurate performance.

He said: “The issue is very important because words have meanings. In all the papers, the President said N1 trillion was wasted on constituency projects in 10 years.

“Of course, Mr. President would have been responding to information given to him. I am a student of public policy analysis. I understand that projects and policies of government go through interrogation.

“When you say N1 trillion is released, it presupposes that the equivalent value of that money should be on the ground. There is also a presupposition that this money is given to members. Our responsibility is to make laws and pass budget and once that is done, it goes to the executive and the execution is the responsibility of the executive.

“On the average, we have about 50 percent of that money that has been released in the last 10 years. The reason why we have so many abandoned projects in our communities is because of lack of releases.

“You award contract and you pay 50 percent. What happens to the remaining 50 percent. How can you complete them? I know that in the last 10 years, this House has appropriated an average of N70 trillion and that presupposes that you spent N70 trillion and there should be commensurate performance.

“In the 2019 budget about N220 billion was budgeted for roads and what was released was N45 billion. If you are expecting the value of N220 billion when you give N45 billion, I don’t know what you will see.”

The President has asked the ICPC to go after contractors who failed to execute the constituency projects awarded to them.

https://thenationonlineng.net/lawmakers-jittery-as-constituents-demand-explanation-over-n1-trillion-constituency-projects/

Money that has been shared
Total waste of time

Assuming 50℅ of the amount was released based on what the speaker said, that will still amount for about 500 billion naira. The only project these lawmakers embark on are drilling of few boreholes, repainting of few blocks of classrooms and buying Okadas for their followers which they will even wait till another election is near before they give these things out

I tot I could make d front page

Buhari don open fowl nyash.

They will be quiet when 'stomach infrastructure' sets in

Money wey they don spend already...

1 trillion naira, just like that, mehn this country sef

One trillion was budgeted in the past 10 years but less than 50% was released...

Our Lawbreakers.. Any explanations?

Heads would be rolling if corruption was punishable with death by beheading @ eagle square...
I won't miss mass beheading of these idiot anywhere it takes place...

FolabiSanjay:
Money that has been shared
Total waste of time

Lawmakers should not be given any constituency money in the first place.

I hate this Nigeria’s government structure.

Why should you be giving large funds to a lawmaker for constituency projects?

What’s the job of a LOCAL GOVERNMENT CHAIRMAN and other executives?

The job of the lawmaker is to make Laws - NOT TO build projects.

And you wonder why there is no development at the grassroots and villages. These folks end up sharing the money amongst the wards stomach infrastructure so that they can get RE-ELECTED.

Technically the speaker has defended himself and his co looters, even the 50% he talked about is there anything to show for it?

Nigeria as a country is designed to FAVOUR very few persons and with such structures we won’t archive anything but will rather suffer continued decadence.

Less I forget, some of those big houses in choice areas, the lavish life style you see some “small girls with big god” displaying are the constituency project.

Oh God I can’t wait to disassociate myself from this contraption. Anyone that has a link for Australia visa should please alert me.

Quiet thread.

Their promoters would rather pretend it never happened.

No way forward for Nigeria, it's just a terrible shithole, that only favours/benefits the rich.......

For those hoping Nigeria would get better within 60 years, would be much easier to spot a flying pig, than seeing Nigeria on a path to recovery............

Money wey dem don chop. Infact, who dey ask this thieves question sef?

Na now dey break for una

seriously??

We know that even those monies (constituency development funds allowances)are released fully, it's the same story that will pop-up. Poor and criminal utilisation of the funds.
That money and oversight functions are what made the lawmakers overnight billionaires. Worse still is the issue of oversight functions where bribes are been shared to lawmakers by corrupt contractors. If you see bad roads, and poorly executed contracts, asks your lawmakers and the supervising ministers and the quantity surveyor for the work.

[quote author=Venerable612 post=84222615]

Lawmakers should not be given any constituency money in the first place.

I hate this Nigeria’s government structure.

Why should you be giving large funds to a lawmaker for constituency projects?

[s]What’s the job of a LOCAL GOVERNMENT CHAIRMAN and other executives? [/s]
Those ones will even do worst because that post are majorly occupied by one tout that the high and mighty had used for some dirties during their electioneering period

I pray the die by hanging if the fail to explain were 1trillion went to, this is worst than hate speech

Money that have been spent on their wives, families, girlfriends, and foreign trips.

The constituents wont do jack...if the law makers wave a bible or a quaran in the faces of the constituents theyll just move on...our level of docility as a people is overwhelming... our leaders have us stuck in a choke hold...

[quote author=wilcox Those ones will even do worst because that post are majorly occupied by one tout that the high and used for some dirty during their electioneering period post=84222874][/quote]

And how is that a problem?

We are talking about constitutional duties here. Are you saying it’s okay to have Lawmakers collect money and share; whilst we have Local Government Chairmen also collecting and sharing?

Because the truth is that both of these guys collect Allocations for projects in Nigeria.

These politicians are always on the defensive. Why not tell the masses what has been done with the monies you and your ilk have received so far.

The topic alone reach to talk about...
I no need read the whole hand out sef.

Now, *matters are rising* ;

1 trillion ke ?

Iffa talk now, pesin go begin swear for these men wey no get conscience and fear of God !!!

If corruption continues to be a legalised act in Nigeria, then things can not be better and will continue to deteriorate .

They are sponsoring hate speech bill while they continue to kill Nigerians with looting our commonwealth .

don't be deceived thinking they are jittery, these set of people are the most heartless group of people in the world.

Elumelu should explain what happened to the 50% released.

Yard people, they are not jittery ooo. Law makers are the most heartless set of people

Cutealexio:
Assuming 50℅ of the amount was released based on what the speaker said, that will still amount for about 500 billion naira. The only project these lawmakers embark on are drilling of few boreholes, repainting of few blocks of classrooms and buying Okadas for their followers which they will even wait till another election is near before they give these things out

...and fixing solar street lights that work for a few months

Baba shaking tables, capsizing boats.