REPS HINGE RETURN ON SUCCESS OF CONSISTENCY PROJECTS

Reps hinge return on success of constituency projects

IT is not only in the Senate that anger is growing over the non-implementation of aspects of the 2009 budget. Already, members are bemoaning the fact that the budget is not being executed to the letter.

Observers know that most times when lawmakers complain on the budget and its non-implementation, it is usually because the projects they inserted (or persuaded or even blackmailed the Executive arm to include) on the behalf, of their constituencies have not been executed. And when the projects are not executed, the lawmakers know that they will have to do more to convince voters when campaigns begin proper next year.

On assumption of office in 2007, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua initially had a problem with the lawmakers over constituency projects because he saw the provisions for the projects as the major cause of the inflation of the budget estimates.

From 2008 he started a slow implementation of the projects but very reluctantly. This explains why most of the constituency projects in the 2008 are still begging for attention. Recently, the matter came to the floor of the House of Representatives through a motion moved by Dino Melaye (Kabba Bunu/Ijumu federal constituency, Kogi State). He complained that most Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) are toying with constituency projects selected by members because they have refused to see the projects as priorities. Based on the motion, the Speaker, Dimeji Bankole asked the chairman of the Committee on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Sadatu Sani to explain the performance of the budget as it relates to the constituency projects. She sought leave of the House to make further consultations with the office of the MDGs in the presidency and later, the Special Assistant to the president on MDGs, Hajia Ibrahim Abubakar, was at the National Assembly to shed light on the status of the projects. She gave the impression that work has been going on smoothly and the targets would be met before the end of the year. But this has generated controversy among members as evident in the contributions during the debate on the general principle of the 2010 budget.

Chinyere Igwe (Port Harcourt II, Rivers State) expressed concern that all the constituency projects in the state are either not executed or in some cases, first phase of the job were done and later abandoned.

“The money voted last year is yet to be seen. We should take a serious look at the MDAs,” he said

Wadada from Nasarawa State observed that the electorate has high expectations particularly in the area of infrastructure, which constituency projects ought to address. “It is of importance for us to know the expectations of the people. We sit down to pass budget and it is not implemented. We should attach conditions in passing the budget. Greater part of what we are going to pass must be implemented. The issue of infrastructure, especially the constituency projects, should be given attention. They are in sorry state and need to be revived. The provision for infrastructure is grossly inadequate,” he remarked.

Former speaker of the House, Patricia Etteh, said, “2010 is a crucial year and so we should concentrate on those things that can touch the lives of Nigerians before the campaign. We are talking about seven-point agenda and we should look at two or three areas that can make impact on the lives of our people. One area that must be taken up is the constituency project.”

Femi Gbajabiamila from Lagos State said, “we have not talked about the non implementation of the last budget. My fear is that failure of budget is becoming a yearly thing. It is not the paper work that matters. We should have an additional clause in the budget on implementation. We should provide for sanction on non-implementation otherwise we will come back next year to talk about the same thing and our constituents will continue to worry us.”

At the peak of the crisis between the National Assembly and former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in 2005 over poor implementation of budget, National Assembly members evolved a process through which they felt the impact of the legislature could be made manifest in their constituencies and senatorial zones and they agreed on the issue of constituency projects.

It was designed that the lawmakers would be able to make input into the various projects, which the Federal Government executes in different parts of the country. The role of the lawmakers would be to decide the kind of projects that their constituents desire and perhaps the location of the projects. It was believed that since they are in the best position to know the needs of their people.

In 2005, the federal lawmakers inserted various projects ranging from electricity to boreholes and health centres in the budget. They went back to their constituencies and gleefully announced their achievements in getting those projects for their people. Some even made it a point of their campaign to earn their return tickets to the Assembly. However, Obasanjo frustrated them as he failed to implement most of the projects.. His failure to execute the projects as contained in the 2006 and 2007 budgets further infuriated the lawmakers who, at a point declared that they would not approve the 2007 budget if the former president failed to execute the projects in the 2006 budget. The lawmakers could not make good their threat because they discovered that Obasanjo would be a major factor in the 2007 election.

When Obasanjo was presenting the 2007 budget to the National Assembly, a member of the House of Representatives from Katsina, Bashir Nadabo, voiced his frustration over the constituency projects. He told Obasanjo that he had not faithfully implemented all the budgets passed in the life of his administration and there was no need listening to him for another budget. “Mr. President, you have never implemented any budget. So, why are wasting our time?” Nadabo said. An embarrassed Obasanjo asked: ‘what is happening?’ Then senate president, Ken Nnamani pleaded with Obasanjo to continue his presentation but the murmuring that came from the floor was an indication that Nadabo was on a script endorsed by majority of the lawmakers present at the joint session.

Some members have found an alternative to the issue of constituency projects. Instead of moaning, they have resorted to using personal resources to provide projects for their constituents. The chairman Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Eseme Eyibo (Eket, Akwa Ibom State) recently displayed such gesture.

On his campaign billboards in the state, Eyibo displays a cheque with the name of the beneficiary – Eket federal constituency. According to him, when he was campaigning, he had a covenant with the people of the constituency that he would deliver certain democracy dividends to them, and having spent two years of his four-year term, he felt it was time to come to the people for a mid-term assessment.

In the four councils in the constituency, Eyibo reconnected with the constituents as he commissioned various projects. In Onna council where he commenced the commissioning of water boreholes, he told them that he came to meet the people for their assessment of his performance. He added that he had to go out of his way to use his resources in providing the facilities because of dearth of infrastructure, which the people need. The community rolled out the drums commending the lawmaker for what they described as a breakthrough from years of thirst.

The lawmaker told the people: “We are here to reconnect with our people. This is a departure from the past where a lot of dignitaries would be invited for an occasion like this. I would have invited the governor to commission this project but we are trying to create a nexus with our people. The project belongs to you and if you commission it yourselves, you will appreciate it better. We will continue to partner. I am assuring that this is just the beginning. This project is 100 per cent funded by me. It is not government project and I will beg of you to put it to maximum use for the benefit of the community.”

The community leader, Chief Akpan Evanson, said it was the first time they would benefit from such a project as the people walk more than seven kilometers daily to get water from the stream. “We are happy that you are delivering on the promise you made to us about improved standard of living. In this era of politics of lies and doublespeak, no one would have expected this type of gesture. You have proved that you have the interest of the people at heart. We are happy that you have changed the face of politics in our land. People will now believe that there are politicians with a difference. We have endorsed you to continue in office because you have performed beyond our expectation. You have ended our years of walking several kilometers to fetch water from the pond,” he said.

At the town hall meeting held with the people at the headquarters of Onna council, Eyiboh reiterated that he would keep doing his best to uplift the people of Eket federal constituency for giving him the opportunity to represent them in House of Representatives. He however, appealed to the people to forgive if there was any mistake in the choice of the location of the projects adding, “I will still come back for another round of assessment, this is mid-term.”

Eyiboh toured the four councils – Onna, Eket, Ideno and Efit – where he held town hall meetings and discussed with members of his constituents. Apart from the boreholes and generators for powering them, Eyiboh took over the funding of two MDG projects, a library and a motorised borehole. He said he decided to fund the projects to finishing levels because the contractors handling the projects were almost abandoning them because Federal Government that owns the projects was not forthcoming with funds. The water project is being reticulated so that more communities could benefit.

Besides these projects, the lawmaker said he is sponsoring 32 students at the Maritime Academy in Oron and each of them is on a N10,000 monthly allowance while 22 others are undergoing courses in fishing and piggery in Delta State with a view to establishing farms for them. The lawmaker has one regret and that is the abandoned Eket station of the Nigerian Television Authority in Eket. He accused the authority of playing politics of flying route, which has been overcome with the reduction of the mast. The station, which ought to connect the people of Eket to the NTA channels presents a graphic picture of waste, having been abandoned since 2004. Nearly all the relevant components required for the operation of the station have been fixed but the funding to take off has remained the problem. The NTA manager, Niyi Oyeleye said efforts are being the NTA management to commission the place soon.

The Chairman of Eket council, Emmanuel Udoh said that the present and future generations of Eket would remember Eyiboh for the wonderful work he has done for the people. But the lawmaker reminded them that, “the year is coming to an end and all companies render end of year accounts. As a manager, I have come to render an account to the owners of the company and I shall continue to do that as a dutiful manager.”

He called on all politicians to rise to the challenges of their communities adding constituency projects should be encouraged to reduce poverty and unemployment in the land.

Many members of the House have also adopted the Eyiboh style as some of them have given up on the MDG projects and are using their resources to provide necessary amenities for their constituents. The expectation is that with the competition for community projects on the p