Bamidele Opeyemi, the leader of the Nigerian Senate, has stated that Nigerians should not blame lawmakers for poorly executed constituency projects, as it is not their statutory role to implement these projects.
Opeyemi said the execution and timely delivery of these projects rather depends heavily on the private sector’s involvement, especially contractors and other stakeholders, given their technical expertise, resources, and innovative capabilities.
Speaking at a policy dialogue on the role of the private sector in implementing constituency projects, organised by OrderPaper Advocacy Initiative in Abuja, Opeyemi maintained that lawmakers were primarily tasked with oversight, not execution.
“It is not the statutory responsibility of lawmakers to execute contracts or to execute constituency projects. The idea of holding lawmakers responsible for projects that are not delivered efficiently or timely should be eroded”, he said.
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He also said the involvement private sector could introduce better monitoring and evaluation frameworks, ensuring that projects are executed noting that corruption has historically been one of the greatest obstacles to the successful execution of constituency projects.
“When private companies invest their resources, they do so with an interest in ensuring their investment yields tangible results,” he said.
The Senate leader further advocated for public-private partnerships (PPPs) to help fund and implement these projects more effectively, stating that government resources alone are insufficient to cover all constituency projects across the country.
He pointed out that budgetary constraints, rising demands for services, and competing national priorities have often led to projects being underfunded, delayed, or abandoned.
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The Senate leader also underscored the lawmakers’ role in combating corruption within the procurement process by supporting anti-corruption agencies, enacting stricter laws, and advocating for better enforcement of existing anti-corruption measures.
Oke Epia, executive director of OrderPaper Advocacy Initiative, also speaking at the event, highlighted the lack of transparency and accountability in the execution of constituency projects.
The executive director highlighted the need to shift the focus away from solely scrutinizing lawmakers and toward examining the role of contractors and other private sector players involved in the governance process.
