It is commonplace to hear people speak about constituency projects initiated and executed by lawmakers in their various constituencies. In fact, the controversy behind how much Nigerian legislators receive as constituency allowance has been in the front burner of political discourse for quite some time now. HOW much do you collect as constituency allowance? There is nothing like constituency allowance. There is no such thing. It exists only in the imagination of the public.
I am worried by the erroneous impression prevailing in public domain about the execution of constituency projects in Edo State. They are used as souvenirs for federal lawmakers in Edo State. Governor Godwin Obaseki has put a stop to using constituency projects as souvenirs for federal lawmakers in Edo State. Constituency project is a project identified by the lawmaker in his constituency and brought to the knowledge of the State or Federal Executive Council that considers and certifies it based on certain factors. Governor Godwin Obaseki has stopped the use of constituency projects as souvenirs for 2019 elections in Edo State.
People make a lot of noise as if constituency projects are a business given to a lawmaker who then becomes a contractor but that is not true. The job of the lawmaker is to identify such projects and it is for the Executive to certify and implement them in the constituency of the lawmaker. They call it constituency project because it originates from the lawmaker in his constituency, not that the lawmaker is the contractor executing it.
The constituency project has to be approved first by the State or Federal Executive Council and it is then tendered while the contractor that wins it goes to work and he is paid as he puts in his certificate like every other contractor. But because they call it constituency project, there is an erroneous impression among some persons that it is a ‘gift’ and lawmakers have become contractors but that is not true.
Indeed, beyond just performing other oversight functions as provided for in the constitution of the federal republic, it will be incumbent on the legislature to look beyond the call of duty and political patronage in citing constituencies projects. The needs of the constituency they represent must be seen to be accorded the desired priority if even development must be achieved.
The senator, representing Edo South Senatorial district, Senator Matthew Urhoghide, has cried out that the Edo State government has destroyed all the projects he attracted to his constituency because he is a member of the opposition, Peoples Democratic Party. Senator Urhoghide said agents of Governor Godwin Obaseki have begun tearing down the labels on the solar street lights installed in various streets of the senatorial district. A walk round the streets where the solar powered street lights are located showed that the posters of Senator Urhoghide and Hon Ogbeide Ihama have been removed from the street lights. A statement signed by the Senior Legislative Aide to Senator Urhoghide, Barr. Neda Imasuen, said the action was condemnable, irresponsible and wasteful of tax payers’ sweat.
Special Adviser to Governor Obaseki on Media and Communication Strategy, Crusoe Osagie said the removal of illegal structures. billboards, posters, pictures was because they ran contrary to the development imperatives of the state government. Osagie noted that it was disruptive of anybody to place structures without due approval from relevant government agencies thereby upsetting development plans for public utilities and other social amenities.
Solar powered street lights influenced by some lawmakers in the National Assembly as part of their constituency projects may soon be removed from the streets of Benin City by the Edo State Government. Posters of the lawmakers are placed on the solar powered street lights erected. It was gathered that the State Government has already approved street lights to be erected along some of the street the lawmakers have placed their street lights as constituency project.
Government sources said the posters of the lawmakers placed on the street lights on roads under construction by the state government made the people believed that the road projects were part of the constituency projects. Governor Godwin Obaseki gave the indication when he ordered the removal of substandard and unauthorized road furniture including similar projects, on roads and other projects across the state. The Governor who gave the order after the state’s weekly Executive Council meeting said it was not right to erect substandard electricity poles that are either abandoned mid-way or lack sustainable maintenance plan and pose safety risk.
Obaseki noted that the decision became necessary in order to streamline project execution across the state and eliminate the chaotic situation currently being experienced. He stated that the growing trend of executing projects without recourse to the agencies of government that give approvals and licences for such projects, in line with laid down rules was worrisome and must stop.
According to him, “The state is littered with substandard projects that disrupt the infrastructure master plan and violate laid down rules for such projects. “The chaotic and indiscriminate execution of substandard and unapproved projects, which are not known to state government agencies and other tiers of government, is unacceptable. This ugly trend must stop,” the governor said. We have a template for the wide array of developmental projects which are being implemented in every ward in the state and anyone who is executing any project in any part of the state should seek approval from the relevant government agencies.
“The right thing to do is to run your projects through officials of government saddled with the task to give approvals for such projects and secure the necessary approvals
“Currently, consultation has reached advanced stage to have a dedicated electricity line that will feed government hospitals, the state secretariat complex and other government offices, to ensure regular power supply in those offices. You cannot disrupt such a plan with a project that the approving agencies are not aware of, and have not approved.”
Constituency projects are not just to name. The National Assembly also has the responsibility of oversight function to monitor the execution of these capital projects. They should stop using constituency projects to corruptly enrich themselves. When you don’t follow the rules, there will be temptation to do the thing the wrong way.
We must put a stop to using constituency projects as souvenirs for federal lawmakers in Edo State and Nigeria.
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Inwalomhe Donald writes from Benin City [email protected]
