Stakeholders have called for an increase in the annual N100 billion budgetary allocation for zonal intervention/constituency projects which are facilitated by the members of the National Assembly and captured in the Appropriation Act to ensure speedy and even development at the grassroots.
They particularly advocated the improvement in the percentage of funds provided in the annual budget for robust monitoring and evaluation exercises to ensure the sustainability of projects.
The stakeholders’ demands were contained in a communique issued in Abuja on Wednesday, at the end of a-two day Interactive Forum with Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) on the Implementation of 2020 Zonal Intervention /Constituency projects organised by the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and lnter-Governmental Affairs.
Drawn from MDAs, National Assembly, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Media, amongst others, the stakeholders solicited appropriate needs assessment of zonal constituency projects in determining the value for the end-users with adequate funding.
“There should be a bottom-up approach in the siting and location of zonal constituency projects to enhance and ensure ownership by the constituents.
“There should be a transition of zonal intervention/constituency projects from inception to completion and handover to the communities.
“For monitoring and evaluation purposes, project locations, including Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates should be included in the budget, for easy access by citizens and organizations.
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“There should be effective forms of tracking for constituency zonal projects in order to ensure their satisfactory execution and for the country to have value for money.
“ICT platform should be created for monitoring and evaluation and verification of projects and programmes to reduce physical exercise as much as possible. Relevant MDAs should be given full control of the execution of zonal intervention projects.
“Relevant MDAs should enhance strict compliance to the extant circulars with respect to zonal/constituency projects to avoid sanctions.
“Any challenge(s) in the execution of zonal intervention/constituency projects by relevant MDAs should be channeled to the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs for necessary action”, the communique read in parts.
Earlier, Chairman, Senate Committee on Special Duties, Abubakar Yusuf (APC, Taraba) while responding to comments by participants lamented that only N37 million could be available to carry out the work of N100 million after different deductions, making implementation of constituency projects almost impossible.
He said out of N100 million voted for a constituency project, “1.5 percent goes to revolving tax (N13.5 million). You are left with N87 million. We are made to understand contractors go with about 30-35 percent. When you remove that, you have 35.87 percent, what do you have, 52 million? The MDAs take 50 percent. What do you have, you have N37 million to do the work of N100 million. It’s an impossibility”.
Presenting a goodwill message on behalf of the President of the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan Yusuf said as zonal intervention efforts, the projects were capable of impacting on the areas they are domiciled, aside from taking development closer to the people.
“We cannot undermine the importance of judicious use of resources where there are limited funds to actualise our many needs, especially as they relate to the constituency, he noted.
In his keynote address, Special Duties and lnter-Governmental Affairs, George Akume collaborated the view of the Senate President’s representative saying: “You have a project that costs N100 million, only 50% of the amount is released how do you step the completion of the project for the benefit of the constituents?”.
Akume said his Ministry was poised to implement the recent decision of the Federal Executive Council that maintenance and training clauses should be included in contract agreements for the supply and works decisions in its monitoring and verification exercises in 2021.
“This is part of Federal Government’s commitment to ensure that contracts are not just delivered but costs associated with maintenance are significantly reduced in addition to promoting local content. The goal is to ensure continuous usage, value for money, and maximum benefits from the projects”, he stated.
