By Barnabas Esiet.
Tracka, a transparency platform owned by BudgIT says despite the fact that government has in the past 11 years allocated a minimum of N1.1 trillion for constituency projects, the budget breakdown shows there is discrepancy with the huge sum of money released to the respective MDAs for project execution.
In a statement, the Head of Business Tracka, Ilevbaoje Uadamen, questioned the method of disbursement of constituency funds in the country.
In his words, “While we advocate for genuine citizen empowerment, the current mode of disbursement is, to say the least, questionable,”
The statement also decried lack of transparency and citizen inclusion in the nomination of the capital projects that has led to increasing number of abandoned projects in various communities across Nigeria,
“Despite the huge funds allocated for capital expenditure over the years, some projects are either left uncompleted, mismanaged or worse still, abandoned.” The statement read.
According to Uadamen, In the 2020 budget, Tracka discovered over 988 projects that were budgeted under agencies that do not have the mandate to execute the projects while projects worth a total sum of ₦2.1 billion have unspecified locations.
How do politicians come to determine the empowerment needs of their constituents without needs assessment nor inclusion in the decision-making process and how are the beneficiaries decided?” He queried.
Tracka’s analysis also reveals that over 50% of nominated projects in the last five years were empowerment programmes including the disbursement of items like sewing machines, bicycles, tricycles, grinding machines among other things to constituency members.
National Assembly Complex.
Tracka is an arm of BudgIT that allows citizens to collaborate, track and give feedback on public projects in their communities.
It ensures that allocated public funds for projects nominated by members of the National Assembly, are effectively disbursed for the good of the people in local communities.
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