Bomadi Rights Group Calls On EFCC, ICPC To Prob Lawmakers Over Embezzlement Of Constituency Project Funds

Bomadi Rights Group Calls On EFCC, ICPC To Prob Lawmakers Over Embezzlement Of Constituency Project Funds

Francis Tayor

Warri____ A human rights group under the auspices of Citizens Right Advocacy Group (CRAD) has called on the federal government, especially the Economic and Financial Crime Commission EFCC, as well as the Independent and Corrupt Practices Commission ICPC, to as a matter of urgency investigate and bring to book Lawmakers, especially those from Bomadi Federal Constituency to give account of the numerous constituency project funds allocated for the development of the region in the past twenty years.

Speaking to newsmen during the weekend at Bomadi, the National Coordinator of the group, Fun-ororo Narebor (Esq.), lamented that since the inception of Democracy in Nigeria, the people of Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State have not benefited in terms commensurate with the huge sums appropriated for Federal Constituency projects. He noted that, projects executed with funds appropriated for  Bomadi Federal Constituency can hardly be felt in Bomadi Council.

In his words, Funororo Narebor Esq. said;  "Since the inception of constituency project in Nigeria there have been misconceptions, misinterpretations and judgement of the constituency project administration. From investigation and research, it is obvious that constituency project from the constitutional dimension is the obligation of the executive branch of government.

The money allocated for constituency projects are not given in the hands of the legislative members. They are with ministries or MDAs related to the project to be executed which are proposed and designed by the legislators. There is now an assumed conspiracy between the ministries and the legislators.

It is of course true that constituency funds in the past years was appropriated for constituency projects but the impact on the constituent can hardly be seen. We want to equivocally say without fear or favour that the people of Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta state have not benefitted in terms commensurate with the huge sums appropriated for constituency projects since inception.

What our legislators normally do is to choose what they call empowerment programmes instead of constituency projects because it will be difficult to track the sum budgeted for it. They will bring few tricycles popularly know as "Keke" and share amongst their relatives, friends and close associates. In some cases, they will write names of people as beneficiaries and sign for them. Empowerment items are sometimes slashed away by sponsors and not distributed till next budget cycle while in some cases,some items are re-budgeted and duplicated.

We are therefore calling on the Federal Government and ICPC to beam their investigative searchlight on Delta state and particularly Bomadi Local Government Area to fish out those culpable and ensure they are punished according to the law, the statement adds."