Politics
Constituency Projects: Federal Lawmakers Rob Their Constituents – Report
The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) has given an insight into why there are persistent infractions by lawmakers and other government officials in the execution of constituency projects.
The anti-graft agency revealed this in a series of reports on its Constituency and Executive Projects Tracking Initiative (CEPTi) conducted.
The Tide source had earlier reported how the agency, in its report on the second phase of the project tracking exercise, revealed cases of alleged abuse of office and conversion of public property to personal use by three senators from Kebbi, Taraba, and Jigawa States.
The senators identified through additional checks are Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central); Sabo Nakudu Mohammed (Jigawa South-West), and Emmanuel Bwacha (Taraba South)
About 490 Zonal Intervention Projects (ZIP), also known as constituency projects, with each costing at least N100 million, were tracked in the second phase of CEPTi in 2020.
The report on the tracking exercises obtained by our source revealed a series of violations allegedly committed by federal lawmakers with the complicity of some officials of the executing ministries, departments, and agencies of the federal government.
ICPC Chairman, Bolaji Owasanoye, said in one of the CEPTi reports that as of 2019, an estimated N2trillion had been budgeted for ZIPs since 2000. He adds that despite the huge releases citizens continue to make agitations about “shoddy completion, non-completion or outright non-existence of these projects in their locale”.
The commission also revealed how some lawmakers’ conduct in handling some of the projects denied “the public due and legitimate service of the projects.”
Under the ZIP scheme, which started in 2000, senators and members of the House of Representatives are allowed to nominate or sponsor projects for the benefit of their constituents.
But, from the ICPC’s report of the first phase of the CEPTi exercise earlier conducted in 2019, lack of adherence to the provisions of the public procurement law and regulations is a major reason for the persistent infractions in the execution of constituency projects.
The commission stated that the role of legislators in the constituency project matters, according to the procurement law, “is restricted to identification of projects while the relevant MDA (ministries, departments, and agencies) would perform the contract without let or hindrance”.
It, however, added that “in practice, MDAs are not involved in the conception of ZIPs” and that “sponsors nominate contractors and take physical custody of items procured by MDAs under the pretext that they would distribute to beneficiaries”.
ICPC’s allegations, such as abuse of office, conflict of interest, misappropriation, and conversion of public property to personal use raised against the Jigawa, Taraba, and Kebbi senators are criminalised and punishable with jail terms under the Public Procurement Act, 2007, the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offence Act, 2000, and other laws.
A lawyer and fiscal accountability expert, Eze Onyekpere, said MDAs who constitute part of the executive branch of government must be held to account for the violations of the Public Procurement laws.
Mr Onyekpere, who leads the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), a non-governmental organisation, noted that it is the sole responsibility of the MDAs to award and supervise contracts.
“Legislators nominate projects into the budget, money is never released to the lawmaker. Money is released to the MDAs.
“The public Procurement Act says the permanent secretary is the accounting officer and there is a renders board; they award and supervise contracts. They pay money. Where is the legislator in all these?” the lawyer queried.
He said the defence by contract-awarding agencies that they were coerced by lawmakers to award contracts to their cronies as indicated in ICPC’s constituency projects tracking exercise, was not tenable.
“The primary offender must be punished. Whoever awarded a contract and did not implement it, he should be held accountable,” Mr Onyekpere added, urging MDAs to resist the “subtle force” from lawmakers that breach the law.
A grassroots organisation known as Sir Siminalayi Fubara Peace Initiative, Friends For Good Governance, has passed a confidence vote on the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara over his development strides in the state within a short time in office.
Apart from the numerous development projects embarked upon by the governor in the state, the body expressed delight over the recent payment of N85,000.00 minimum wage to civil servants in the State to reduce the economic burden of workers and their dependants.
Spokesperson of the organisation, Chief Felix Ologara, who addressed newsmen in Bori, headquarters of Khana Local Government Area described Governor Fubara’s administration as the most compassionate, peace-loving and labour-friendly in Nigeria.
Coordinator of the NGO, Comrade Felix Nnaa, also lauded the governor of Rivers State for staying focused on the development of the state despite the challenges by detractors of his administration.
The NGO also commended the newly elected local government chairmen in the state, particularly the chairman of Khana LGA, Hon Martin Nwigbo and his Tai counterpart, Hon Mathew Dike for modelling their leadership style after Governor Fubara’s in providing essential services to the people.
On his part, the Chairman of Khana Local Government Area, Hon. Martins Nwigbo, who also spoke with the press assured that his administration will give priority attention to the development of Khana, particularly in providing security, economic empowerment, human capital development and restoration of power in the area.
Former President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Professor Atuboyedia Obianime, has called for a people centred governance in Nigeria.
Prof. Obianime said this at the Rivers Liberation Summit and Awards organised by the Ijaw Wari Initiative Worldwide in Port Harcourt.
He said projects execution are good but government must come up with policies that will create employment opportunities for the people.
The former INC president particularly urged the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, to revive all moribund industries with the view to creating jobs for the teeming unemployed youths in the state and stressed the need for the revamping of the agricultural sector in the state.
Also speaking, a former chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), Dr Sam Sam Jaja, said the Ijaws will never surrender their rights for any reason.
“We know where we come from and we know where we are now; we know the battle we fought and we know the battle we are still fighting and one thing is very important among us, we will never surrender our rights for any reason”, he said.
Dr Jaja said the Ijaws have been known to fight against oppression and marginalisation and commended the Ijaw Wari Initiative for complementing the INC.
“What we are doing today is to honour Ijaw sons and daughters who deserve to be honoured and of course we have one of our elderly sons to tell us what we have done in terms of pursuing leadership”, he added.
He also described the Ijaws as symbols of leadership, adding: “it starts from us and it will continue to remain with us for a long time”
Dr Jaja also declared that with an Ijaw man at the saddle of leadership in the State, the people will see a new phase of governance, adding that areas neglected will be touched, while expressing optimism that the event would equip the participants to face the challenges ahead.
In his welcome address, the president of Ijaw Wari Initiative Worldwide, Somina Wokoma, said the event was to “commemorate the October 30th, 2023, failed attempt to impeach our dear Governor which marked a turning point in our democratic journey”.
“As we converge on this epoch making occasion, we celebrate the triumph of democracy, people oriented leadership and the resilience of Rivers people”, he said.
John Bibor
A non- governmental organisation in Rivers State, the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force ( (NDPVF), Opobo/Nkoro Chapter, has tasked Chairmen of the 23 Local Government Areas of the State to urgently focus on aggressive infrastructural and human capital development projects.
This is contained in a statement released by the group in Port Harcourt shortly after her Chapter Executive Council ( CEC) meeting in Opobo Town, and signed by its Coordinator, Commander Idawari Brown; Secretary, Comrade Success Dinne Ebranga and Public Relations Officer, Comrade Lucky Ubani.
The group urged the chairmen and councillors to be proactive in the discharge of their assignment of dispensing quality service delivery in their areas of jurisdiction and admonished them to follow the leadership example of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
“There is need for the Chairmen of various Councils in the state to ensure that they emulate the leadership style of the governor by building bridges of transformation, human capital development and youth inclusiveness in governance of their LGAs”, the statement said.
The group further admonished the chairmen of the various councils and their Councillors to put in their best in the leadership of their local areas for the well-being of the people.
“The people are in dire need of your contributions for better development bridges in terms of even distribution of development projects and programmes that will have direct- bearings on the people’s welfare and lives.
“They should include those who have what it takes to develop the areas through their contributions to move the area forward developmentally.
“We urge the chairmen of various councils and their councillors not to appoint anybody on political patronage in order to siphon the treasury of the councils.
“We would not tolerate this lackluster attitude from any council chairmen Councillors. The real thing should be done through those with leadership expertise and are ever ready to join forces with them to build a pleasant and virile Local Government Areas administration for posterity.
By: Bethel Toby