Storm brewing in NASS over N150bn constituency projects fund

The N10.594 trillion 2020 Appropriation Bill sent to President Muhammadu Buhari last Thursday is already enmeshed in a serious crisis that might delay the vital presidential assent to the document.

The issues at stake are the alleged lopsided distribution of part of the N2.465 trillion capital projects across the country and the purported inflation of figures for many expenditure items in the budget.

For instance, apart from the N100 billion worth of capital projects ceded to National Assembly members, there is a controversy over the N50 billion worth of capital projects allocated to the lawmakers from the N264 billion increase effected by the two chambers of the National Assembly when they raised budget from N10.330 trillion to N10.594 trillion.

This brings to N150 billion the total amount allocated to constituency projects in the budget.

Moreover, the increase in the budget has resulted in the hike of many sub-heads in the aspects of the budget that relate to the National Assembly.

Apart from the statutory allocation which increased from N125 billion to N128 billion, the N10 billion earlier proposed for the renovation of the National Assembly has been increased to N37 billion and it is placed under the allocation for the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).

Also, the sum of N1 billion has been allocated for the review of the 1999 Constitution as amended which is yet to commence.

On the additional allocation of funds for constituency projects, it was learnt that some lawmakers whose constituencies did not benefit enough from the distribution had resolved to take the matter to President Buhari, who had recently expressed worries about failure of the legislature to utilise constituency projects to the benefit of the ordinary people.

On the likely effects of drawing the attention of the president to alleged inflation of the budget and discrimination in the sharing of projects, a lawmaker said: “Why I am disturbed is that we least expected this to recur in this 9th National Assembly because it was an issue so much criticised in the 8th Assembly. How do you expect the legislature to unite against the executive when from the beginning we have demonstrated so much discrimination against one another in the appropriation for projects? So I am not surprised if the matter is dragged to the level of the presidency. It only means that the foundation for faulty implementation of the budget is already being laid in the legislature. ”

Highlights of the distribution of the projects in the 2020 budget showed that while some senatorial districts got billions of naira worth of projects, others were given below N20 million projects or nothing at all. The contentious projects worth N2.22 billion are in Yobe North Senatorial District, the zone of the Senate President, Senator Ahmad Lawan.

Others are the N900 million appropriated for the construction of rural roads at Gadawa and selected local government areas, also within Yobe North senatorial zone; N475 million for the procurement of farm implements and accessories in the same district.

The rest are the allocation of N143 million for the construction of six culverts and drains in Karasuwa and Jakusko LGA, Yobe; N144 million for the construction of six culverts and drains in Bade and Yusufari LGA, Yobe as well as another N143 million for the construction of six culverts and drains in Nguru and Machina LGAs, also in Yobe State.

Similarly, there are N160 million for the construction of 12 numbers solar-powered boreholes for nomadic settlement in Jakusko and Machina LGAs, N160m for the construction of 12 nos solar powered boreholes for nomadic settlement in Nguru and Bade LGAs, N100m for the provision of hand pump boreholes in Gashuwa town, all contained under the Federal Ministry of Water Resources.

On his own part, Senator Solomon Olamilekan (APC, Lagos West) got N1 billion for “empowerment, training in boat operations and fishing for rural fishermen” in Badagry, Ojo, Amuo-Odofin, Ifako, Ijaiye and Agege.

Also causing trouble in the National Assembly is the allocation of N1.9 billion for the renovation/rehabilitation of secondary schools in Delta Central Senatorial District which was allegedly placed under the Federal Ministry of Water Resource budget.

Besides, N700 million was voted for the “installation of all-in-one solar-powered street lights across the eight local government areas of Ughelli North, Ughelli South, Ethiope East, Ethiope West, Udu, Okpe, Sapele and Uvwie (at about N86 million each).” The Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, represents this senatorial district. The total allocation for constituency projects stands at N2.6 billion.

Also, the sum of N500 million is appropriated for “grants to youths and women in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in Borno Central Senatorial District, represented by Senator Shettima Kassim, who sponsored a failed vote of confidence motion on Senator Lawan last week.

In Edo North Senatorial District represented by Senator Francis Alimikhena, the sum of N1 billion was appropriated for the establishment of integrated farms in Okorogu and Okpe, Akoko-Edo LGA.

Also, in Gombe North Senatorial District represented by Senator Saidu Alkali, the sum of N560 million was appropriated for projects including N100 million for the “empowerment of youths and women, purchase of motorcycles, sewing machines, refrigerators and grinding machines; as well as N460 million for the construction of maternity clinic and hospital equipment.”

This is followed by the allocation of another N400 million for the training and support for civilian JTF in Jere/MMC/Kaga federal constituencies of Borno State

In Nasarawa West Senatorial District, which Senator Abdullahi Adamu represents, projects worth N2.1 billion were allocated. They include N500 million for the provision of motorised boreholes; N120 million for the construction of 12kms rural road in Shabuagwada junction to Barkinogishabu; another N500 million for the provision of farm implements and inputs for farmers and N300 million for the provision of solar-powered boreholes in Keffi and its environs.

Other projects in Nasarawa West are N500 million for training and empowerment of youths and women in various agricultural value chains; N100 million for the provision of solar street lights across communities in Keffi; and the N200 million for the provision of agricultural equipment for farmers 120/150-horse power to John Deer Tractors.

Other contentious allocations include the N300 million for vocational training and provision of empowerment materials for youths and women in Lagos Central Senatorial District, the constituency of Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

The following projects were also inserted into the budget for some unnamed persons: “N1 billion for the construction of rural roads; N468.4 million for federal government’s support for women in agribusiness; and N554.3 million federal government’s support for youths in agribusiness; N1.15 billion for the provision and installation of solar street light nationwide.”

Another N500 million was allocated for the supply of laptops and writing materials to secondary schools in Borno State; N500 million for the construction of classrooms in primary schools in Zarawuyaku and Fikayel; N500 million for the supply of instructional materials to various schools in the North East zone; N500 million for the renovation of selected primary and secondary schools in the same zone.

The Senate has insisted that by passing the budget in its present form, it had met its obligations.

The chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Godiya Akwashiki, said yesterday that “what I know is the N100 billion constituency development projects funds from where the Senate got N40 billion while the House of Representatives got N60 billion.

“Apart from that, I don’t know whether other insertions were made to the budget because I am not a member of the Appropriation Committee.

“I’m hearing this for the first time. It may be true and it may be false because the chances of senators inserting projects into the budget are 50 and the chances of saying it is not true is also 50. As it is now, the budget has not been signed into law. The proposal comes from the executive and it will still be scrutinised by the executive.

“The Senate Committee on Appropriation told us that they discovered additional revenue which was not captured and decided to apply it to some departments and ministries. That was the explanation they gave for the increment in the size of the budget,” he said.

Senator Akwashiki, however, maintained that by facilitating the return of the budget to January-December cycle, the upper chamber deserved commendation.

He said that the 9th Assembly by this feat had demonstrated that it is out to better the lives of Nigerians, stressing that January-December budget cycle will in no doubt offer the executive the opportunity for a full implementation.

The leadership of the National Assembly had always be on a collision course with the presidency over the constituency projects saga.

Recently, President Buhari said that there was little to show for the N1 trillion n that had been spent on constituency projects of the National Assembly members in the last 10 years.

“It is on record that in the past 10 years, N1 trillion has been appropriated for constituency projects, yet the impact of such huge spending on the lives and welfare of ordinary Nigerians can hardly be seen,” Mr Buhari said at an event organised by the ICPC.

But Senate minority leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, described the president’s comment as erroneous and containing elements of false information.

“We are not worried by the statement. The reason we are not worried is because we know that it was a statement that was erroneous. Somebody must have written a speech and then put false information in the speech.

“I have done constituency projects and we have always said that they are not done by senators or members of the House of Representatives. They are domiciled in the executive, which execute them. If the president said he has not seen anything, he should ask his ministers and his agencies under him as the executive as they are the people who have been executing these projects,” he said.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, who also commented on the matter following a point of order raised under privileges by the House minority leader, Hon. Ndidi Elumelu, expressed concern about the unintended consequences of the statement.

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 the words spoken. These are words emanating from a report by the ICPC. There could be unintended consequences that could come out of it. You put peoples wellbeing at risk.

“I feel it is okay to use the National Assembly as the weeping boys. The fact is that there is the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act. The ICPC could easily invoke its power of investigation and look at releases as compared to what was budgeted. The ICPC that made the report, I don’t think 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,” he said.