A bill, tagged The ‘Constituency Projects Bill seeks to earmark a minimum of 20% of Nigeria’s annual budget for constituency projects of Legislators scaled through second reading at the Senate.
To put figures to the bill, the National Assembly members will have direct control over N1.4trillion if the 2017 budget as proposed. The Lawmakers will insert the projects under subheads in the budgets of ministries and agencies that they supervise. The agencies are expected to execute the projects based on specification and guidance by benefiting lawmakers.
Amazing right?
Our Take?
This is simply a money grab by the Legislators.
In essence, we ill have 469 separate projects, inserted by House and Senate, who will monitor this? Kano for instance will have 27 projects, Abuja will have 5…..where is the equity? However we are digressing, does the Senate believe their duties extend from making laws to actually executing water projects?
If we take 20% of the budget, and share to NASS members, how will the projects they specify be coordinated with federal efforts? If for instance the Ministry of Health wants to focus on HIV and Abia Legislators wants to focus on Malaria, will there not be a dissipation of resources, do we not lose the power of scale?
We propose the NASS simply improves and actually steps up their power of oversight over federal projects, that is their job, to oversee and appropriate, not to chase contractors.
This Bill should be killed…
