According to the letters and spirit of Section 4 (1-9) of the Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution as amended, the sole responsibility of the legislature is that of lawmaking and providing oversight on the executive arm of government. Due largely to the ignorance or rather poor performance of the capital budgets in delivering people-focused services over the years; citizens have also come to expect the execution of capital projects and monetary hand-outs from their representatives. Furthermore, the necessity to ensure fair distribution of projects and attract federal presence to every constituency gave rise to constituency projects for lawmakers.
Since the inclusion of constituency projects into the budget content, legislators in each constituency annually identify the needs of his/her constituents and recommend same to the executive during budgeting. For instance, in 2017 alone, over N150bilion naira was appropriated for constituency projects. On paper, the legislators have no direct control over the award, financing and supervision of constituency projects; the responsibilities are shouldered by the appropriate agencies. In reality however, evidence show that constituency projects have been hijacked by some lawmakers for personal purposes; thereby defeating the intent.
Some of the legislators connive with the executing agencies to use fronts/contractors to execute the projects on their behalf or to carry out projects that are not in line with the true needs of their constituents. In that light, the ever vocal former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, described the constituency projects being embarked upon by lawmakers as “corruption.” Also, the now suspended Secretary to Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, posited that constituency projects have over the years been a “conduit pipe through which lawmakers embezzle money”.
The foregoing is the reality in Oyi/Ayamelum Federal Constituency in Anambra State currently being represented by Hon Gabriel Onyenweife.The constituent members have been poorly represented at the Federal house of Representatives. Unfortunately, We have maintained a nonchalant attitude on the grand corruption being perpetuated by our representative.
The ongoing harvest of corruption have negatively affected our growth and development. We have been terribly shortchanged. There has been a premeditated conspiracy of silence and things have degenerated to worse condition. Corruption has impeded our growth as a people. Right now, we wallow in abject poverty for not holding our political office holders accountable. There is so much impunity,perfidy, treachery,deceit, betrayal,and dishonesty in Hon Onyenwife's leadership.
In the past three years of Hon Gabriel Onyenwife's unbridled pranks, and mischievous escapades at the Green Chambers, monies have been voted in the federal budget for constituency projects, but no projects have met the needs of the constituents. The high level of ignorance in Oyi/Ayamelum constituency about the number and details of constituency projects allocated to the constituency should be blamed on Hon. Gabriel Onyenwife who absconds from town hall meetings.
Umunnem, it has become expedient to provide the constituents of Oyi/Ayamelum with information on constituency projects meant for us as captured in the 2017 budget and how Hon Onyenwife have nothing to show for it. In our epic quest for transparency and accountability, we the concerned constiuents of Oyi/Ayamelum have tracked the 2017 Appropriation for Oyi/Ayamelum Constituency Projects and discovered that funds were appropriated for eight constituency projects to be executed in Oyi and Ayamelum local government areas, estimated to the tune of three hundred and ninety seven million naira . These projects fall under the responsibility of our House of Representatives Member Hon. Gabriel Onyenwife.The information contains the project title, status, ministry and amount allocated.
We hereby demand from Hon Onyenwife to show us the constituency projects he supervised, and or executed. We have elected to engage Hon Onyenwife to give us more details on the 2017 Appropriated funds for Oyi/Ayamelum Federal constituency. We have detected the non implementation of the underlisted projects and wish to prevail on Hon Onyenwife to tell us the whereabouts of the appropriated funds for Oyi/Ayamelum Federal Constituency in 2017;
1. Development of fish farm and training of manpower for sites at Anaku and Omasi (N35m)
2. Construction of motorized borehole at Emenike,Peter compound in Awkuzu town, Iruabo Village, Oyi local government area(N10m)
3. 3Nos of Solar powered boreholes in Oyi local government and Ayamelum local government(N30m)
4. Erosion control Ukulu, Oyi local government area(N200m)
5. Supply and Installation of transformer in Oyi/Ayamelum Federal Constituency(N40m)
6. Sensitization, advocacy, and Drug enlightenment campaign in Oyi/Ayamelum Federal constituency(N20m)
7. Skill acquisition training on household products in Oyi/Ayamelum Federal constituency(N40m)
8. Skill acquisition training on ICT in Oyi/ Federal constituency (N22m)
Every constituent member of Oyi/Ayamelum Federal Constituency reserves the right to demand accountability from Hon Gabriel Onyenwife. There is no doubt that Representative Onyenwife holds the record as the most inept, prodigal and corrupt in the history of Anambra State. Severally, we have asked the Oyi/Ayamelum Federal House Member to justify the huge amount he has racked up from constituency projects while throwing the people into poverty. But up till now, all Representative Onyenwife and co travellers have engaged in are blatant lies and propaganda. We call on EFCC to invite Hon. Onyenwife for a chat to unravel the mystery behind the 2017 appropriation for Oyi/Ayamelum Federal constituency.
Enough is Enough!
Ekenem
Ogbuefi Comr Harris Chuma
NZOPUTA 2019
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