The National Assembly’s fresh proposal for an increase in the budget of the Special Intervention Projects (SIP), popularly known as the Constituency Projects, is uncalled for and undeserving of a positive consideration. The Constituency Projects, with a current yearly budget of N100 billion per year, is a phenomenon that has been afflicted more with sleaze than honesty, besides being an aberration that legislators are seeking to legitimize. Considering the financial irregularities that have been evidently associated with the projects over the past years, the programme should have no place in the scheme of the country’s democracy and should therefore be discontinued.
Last year, the Senate threw out a Bill seeking to legalize Constituency Projects by including it in the annual National Budget. However, the fresh bid to include the Constituency Projects in the National Budget has resurfaced under the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio. The National Assembly proposes that 20 percent of the National Budget should be appropriated for Constituency Projects allowance. If this proposal scales through, a gargantuan 20 per cent of the National Budget would be appropriated for the so-called Constituency Projects. Some Senators have criticized the current N100 billion constituency projects as static and insufficient to carry out meaningful constituency projects within today’s economic realities.
It is hardly surprising that the proposal has been eliciting widespread public outrage and condemnation. The various stakeholders and the general public maintain that the Constituency Projects budget is illegal and unconstitutional. We join the stakeholders and the general public in unequivocally condemning the proposal. Further, the Constituency Projects scheme should be completely scrapped.
The Constituency Projects are just conduit pipes for siphoning off the national treasury. The idea of the Constituency Projects was conceived in 1999 during the tenure of President Olusegun Obasanjo. At that time, people believed that such a venture would yield a direct impact on the lives of the people, especially those in rural communities, following arguments that it would bring governance closer to them. Conversely, there was another school of thought that kicked against a situation in which members of the National Assembly would directly determine what projects come to their constituency in addition to influencing the would-be contractors.
Consequently, an agreement was reached among the parties concerned, paving the way for an annual practice whereby the Federal Government set aside a considerably huge amount of money for the implementation of the projects through the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in agreement with the lawmakers. These projects, which are developmental and meant for the grassroots, are often introduced by lawmakers for implementation in their constituencies.
Unfortunately, since the inception of the Constituency Projects, there have been numerous reports of mismanagement and corruption associated with them. Funds meant for these projects often do not reach the intended beneficiaries, are misappropriated, or are diverted into the private pockets of politicians for their personal gain. For instance, it is on record that from 2003 to date, a staggering sum of N2 trillion has been spent on Constituency Projects, but there is little to show for this amount in the various constituency projects across the country. Besides, the selection of the projects is often based on political considerations rather than actual development needs, leading to a distortion of development priorities. The Constituency Projects funds are not subjected to any auditing. No sooner are the constituency projects started than they are abandoned, with no tracking of the projects either. Only last year, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) uncovered National Assembly members’ uncompleted constituency projects worth over N45 billion.
There is often a lack of accountability in the implementation of constituency projects, making it difficult to track progress and ensure that funds are used appropriately. It is no wonder former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who started the venture, has described it as nothing but corruption. In his own words: “You and I know what constituency projects mean. It is simply corruption.” Similarly, former President Muhammadu Buhari stated in 2019 that the impact of the trillions of Naira spent on Constituency Projects could hardly be seen in the lives and welfare of ordinary Nigerians. Even some serving Senators in the National Assembly have decried Constituency Projects as an avenue for theft and corruption.
More importantly, the National Assembly is constitutionally empowered to make laws for the country and to act as checks and balances on the Executive, not to execute constituency projects. It is not the business of the legislature to execute projects. The end does not justify the means. The fact that a few lawmakers have successfully carried out some constituency projects in their respective constituencies does not make constituency projects right. To rephrase the words of former President Goodluck Jonathan, don’t put the goat where the yam is because the goat will eat the yam. In the same vein, don’t allocate money for constituency projects to lawmakers because they will divert the money into their private pockets for personal gain.
Instead of demanding constituency project funds to corruptly enrich themselves, Nigerian lawmakers can focus on several key areas to improve governance and benefit their constituents. For instance, they should ensure effective oversight of the executive branch to prevent corruption and ensure efficient use of public funds. They should also develop and pass laws that address pressing national issues such as security, education, healthcare, and infrastructure development.
Additionally, they should engage with their constituents to understand their needs and concerns and advocate for policies that benefit them. Lawmakers should support anti-corruption efforts and advocate for transparency and accountability in government.
Rather than advocate for an increase in Constituency Project funds, federal legislators should advocate for improved healthcare services, infrastructure, and access to education for all citizens. They should also advocate for policies that improve the quality of education, increase access to education, and address the challenges facing the education sector.
Considering that Constituency Projects are engines of fraud and corruption and are not always aligned with the actual needs of constituents, we call for the complete scrapping of the Constituency Projects allowance. The National Assembly should address local development needs and community needs by strengthening local government structures, improving budget transparency and oversight mechanisms, and promoting community-driven development initiatives.
