Constituents Bring National Assembly Members To Townhall To Account For Multi-Billion Naira Projects
Constituents Bring National Assembly Members To Townhall To Account For Multi-Billion Naira Projects
This followed a petition written by some constituents across the state, requesting for a briefing from their representatives at the National Assembly on the status of constituency projects in their constituencies as part of a citizen-led accountability framework.
Agroup of Benue State constituents have written to the National Assembly members from Benue, inviting them to a townhall meeting to account for the billions of naira allocated for constituency projects and intervention projects across the state.
This followed a petition written by some constituents across the state, requesting for a briefing from their representatives at the National Assembly on the status of constituency projects in their constituencies as part of a citizen-led accountability framework.
The constituents under the Benue Development Movement (BDM), a rights group, in a press release by the State Coordinator, Comrade Isaac Abah, noted that it is imperative for Benue people to be aware of what their representatives are doing with funds allocated for projects and the different interventions approved by the Nigerian government in their domains.
According to the release “our findings indicate that there is a significant increase in constituency allowances given to lawmakers with serving Senators receiving as much as N2 billion, while House of Representatives members get N1billion each as constituency allowances respectively.
“At face value, Constituency Allowances are meant to help Senators and House of Representative members address socio-economic challenges in their immediate constituencies. However, our findings show that half of these funds are not properly utilised as intended.
“It is our civic responsibilities to ensure that public funds are altruistically dispensed for the benefit of all citizens in the state. In order to promote accountability in public offices, we seek to hold a mid-term public accountability briefing in a townhall meeting with all senators and House of Representative members representing the good people of Benue State in the National Assembly to give accountability for the 2024/2025 constituency projects and the level of implementation.
“The townhall meeting will create opportunity to galvanise all relevant actors to proactively engage the constituency project planning, and implementation process, and empowers citizens with the skills and capacity to ensure funds for constituency projects achieve the real objective for which they were appropriated.”
The rights group went further to appraise Benue people with a list of 39 constituency projects and 72 interventions captured in the 2024 budget to enable them make on the spot assessment and ask the relevant questions during the town hall meeting.
Some of the projects listed inlcude; “construction of motorised borehles and provision of solar street lights in selected communities, training and empowerment on ICT and digital literacy, training and empowerment for digital enteprise for youth and supply of empowerment tool to beneficiaries in Makurdi/Guma Federal Constituency to the tune of 370 million naira.
In Gwer East/Gwer West Federal Constituency (Benue State) Construction of Solar Street Lights in Some Communities in Gwer East/Gwer West,
at the cost of ₦50,000,000, Provision of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Facilities in Some Communities in Gwer East/Gwer West at the cost of ₦60,000,000, Empowerment Programme for Women and Youths in Gwer East/Gwer West at the cost of ₦70,000,000, Supply of Empowerment Materials (Motorcycles, Sewing and Grinding Machines) at the cost of ₦80,000,000, Provision of Classroom Blocks and Furniture in Gwer East/Gwer West at the cost of ₦65,000,000, Construction of Motorised Boreholes in Selected Wards in Gwer East/ West at the cost of ₦90,000,000.
Total allocation for Gwer East/Gwer West:
₦415,000,000
“In Gboko/Tarkaa Federal Constituency, vocational training and empowerment of youths and women, supply and distribution of sewing machines, grinding machines and hairdryers to women, support for technical trainees in Technical Schools, entrepreneurship training and supply of industrial equipment as well as the construction of classroom blocks in some selected communities valued at the cost of 370 million naira was captured in the 2024 budget.
Similarly, Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency, funds have been released for the construction and Installation of Solar Street Lights in strategic communities at the sum of ₦150,000,000 as well as procurement and Distribution of Tricycles and Motorcycles to support youth and women empowerment at the sum of ₦120,000,000. In the same constituency , there’s provision for skills acquisition and Empowerment Programme for women and youths with starter packs at the sum of ₦100,000,000 as well as the Construction and Rehabilitation of Rural Roads to improve access to markets and schools in Okpokwu and Ogbadibo at the cost ₦110,000,000.
Other projects include drilling and reticulation of Boreholes in under-served rural communities at the cost of ₦85,000,000, Medical Outreach and Supply of Hospital Equipment to PHCs and General Hospitals awarded at the cost of ₦65,000,000, Procurement of Science Equipment and Educational Materials for secondary schools awarded at the cost of ₦70,000,000, Renovation and Furnishing of Schools (blocks of classrooms, furniture, chalkboards) at ₦90,000,000. The total project allocation for Ado Okppkwu Federal Constituency in 2024 alone is ₦790,000,000 the statement added.
“In Apa/Agatu Federal Constituency, the rights group revealed that, the sum of 415 million naira was allocated for the construction of motorized borehles, construction of primary health care facilities, provision of chairs, desk and learning materials for primary pupils, distribution of solar lights in selected markets in Apa, provision of skill acquisition materials for youths, entrepreneur hip training in fish farming and hatchery and women as well as the provision of solar street lights in the 2024 budget.
“The supply of empowerment materials to women cooperative societies, the empowerment of market women through cash support, the entrepreneurs Hip training and distribution of start-up equipment, provision of toilets and supply of waste disposal facilities as well as the supply of agricultural inputs and implements to farmers were captured in the 2024 budget to the tune of 275 million for the Otukpo/Apa Federal Constituency.
“Vocational and technical training of youths, construction of rural access roads, supply of farm inputs and equipment, construction of primary classroom blocks, provision of modern agricultural tools to rice farmers, provision of vocational materials to trained youths and supply of school materials to pupils in Obi/Oju Federal Constituency all valued at 435 million naira were captured in the 2024 budget.”
