The 10th Assembly of the House of Representatives has allocated a whopping N54bn for constituency projects, as each member would receive N150m. This is an increase of N50m from the previous assembly, where each member got N100m.
Constituency projects are developmental projects sited in the constituencies of lawmakers as budgeted for under various Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
They are meant to enable the lawmakers to directly impact their various constituencies with infrastructural and social amenities.
However, the implementation and accountability of these projects have been marred by controversies and allegations of corruption. Many Nigerians have questioned the rationale and legality of such projects, as they are seen as a means of diverting public funds for personal or political gains.
The increase in the constituency allowance of the lawmakers comes at a time when the country is facing an economic crisis, worsened by the the insecurity challenges. The President Bola Tinubu-led administration has called on Nigerians to endure the hard times and hope for a better future.
A lawmaker who spoke on condition of anonymity said that the constituency allowance was the only opportunity they had to help their constituencies with one or more projects. He claimed that they often used their own money to execute the projects, as they had no power over the real projects.
He said, “In the House of Reps, our constituency allowance is N150m. This is the only opportunity we have to help our constituencies with one or more projects. We usually don’t have power over the real projects. So, this is often like palliative for us to give back to our constituencies. Many of us often use our money to do all the projects that we do for our constituencies. And this year, we are getting N150m in the House of Reps; I don’t know how much they will get at the Senate.”
The constituency allowance is a complex issue, and there is no easy answer to the question of how it should be used. However, it is clear that the allowance can be a valuable tool for lawmakers to help their constituent
