Speakers’ Chairman advocates for legislation to establish constituency development fund

The Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria and Speaker of the Bauchi State House of Assembly Abubakar Y Suleiman has advocated for national legislation to institutionalize constituency development fund that will be responsible for managing constituency projects at national and states level.

He made the advocacy while making presentation during the 2021 National Legislative Conference organized by the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in collaboration with Hallowmace Foundation Africa at Ladi Kwali Hall, Sheraton Hotel and Towers Abuja, today.

The Chairman explained that constituency projects help legislators to discharge effective representation, ensure prudence, accountability and improve legislative-executive relations.

He added that the institutionalization of constituency project will help in the reduction of poverty and illiteracy through human empowerment and capacity development and improve public perception of the legislature as well as redistributing national resources to the community to improve rural economy.

“The concept and institutionalization of constituency projects dates back to 1999 during Obasanjo’s administration.
It has originated as a circumstantial demand from the federal legislators in response to high demand for social services by their constituents.

“It started with allocation of small amount to the members of the National Assembly before a consensus is reached on enhanced figure, agreed sharing formula and procedure for initiating/executing the projects

“Constituency project which is institutionalized and became integral part of the budge process at the national level, is not uniformly institutionalized at the states level.

“At the states level in Nigeria for now, it is only Lagos State House of Assembly that has codified the administration of constituency development project through a law.” He said.

The Chairman further stated that legislators at the state level only identify the projects, occasionally recommend contractors and monitor the implementation of the projects through oversight and the absence of national or state legislation to institutionalise the existence of the fund and little involvement of legislators in the management of the projects affects development especially at the state levels.

Rt. Hon. Abubakar Y Suleiman therefore calls on the National Assembly to enact a national legislation of constituency project as in the public procurement which he said is very important because it will guide the process for state adoption with modifications to reflect local peculiarities.

Highlights of the Conference include speeches and paper presentations by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Mr Boss Mustapha, President of the Senate Senator Ahmed Lawan, Chairman Independent Corrupt Practices Commission Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, members of the National Assembly, Civil Society Organizations among others.

The Chairman was accompanied by the Speaker of the Yobe State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Ahmed Lawan Mirwa.