President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday berated the National Assembly members for squandering over one trillion Naira budgeted for constituency projects in the last 10 years.
Speaking at the National Summit on Diminishing Corruption in Public Sector, organised by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, in conjunction with the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation in Abuja on Tuesday, Buhari lamented that in spite of the huge sum involved, there was nothing to show as constituency projects.
The President noted that data obtained from the rural communities across the country showed that there was no impact of such constituency projects by members of the National Assembly on the Peoples’ lives.
He said, “N1trn has been appropriated in the last 10 years for constituency projects but the impact can hardly be seen.”
Buhari therefore called on the ICPC to fish out contractors and their collaborators in government, who collected money for such projects and abandoned them.
Meanwhile, at the event, the ICPC Chairman, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, presented the commission’s report on the first phase of constituency projects tracking initiative.
Also at the event, Buhari called on the National Assembly to speed up work on the Special Crimes Court Bill.
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According to him, Nigerians have been agitating for the Special Court to handle corruption cases.
“Corruption is the cause of many major problems in our country. It is a catalyst for poverty, insecurity, weak educational system, poor health facilities and services and many other ills of our society.
“This government is working hard to overcome such ills. Corruption generally and public sector corruption, in particular, inhibits the ability of government to deliver infrastructure and basic services to the people.
“That is why I have reiterated on many occasions that corruption is an existential threat to Nigeria. It is a major threat to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals and the socio-economic transformation we are all working hard to bring about in Nigeria.
“It is on record that in the past 10 years N1 trillion has been appropriated for constituency projects, yet the impact of such huge spending on the lives and welfare of ordinary Nigerians can hardly be seen.
“The first phase report of tracking these projects by the ICPC confirms our worst fears that people at the grassroots have not benefited in terms commensurate with the huge sums appropriated for constituency projects since inception.
“I invite the legislative and judicial arms of government to embrace and support the creation of Special Crimes Court that Nigerians have been agitating to handle corruption cases. I, therefore, urge the legislature to fast-track the passage of the Special Crimes Court Bill,” the President said.
