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| Constituency Projects and its Implication for Democratic Development: Focus on Nigeria National Assembly |
Nnamani, Desmond O. PhD, Ekoh, Livinus A. & Joe-Akunne, Ikenna PhD
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Abstract:
The paper investigates constituency projects allowance and the implications to national development, focusing on the National Assembly. The primary function of government is to provide social services to entire citizenry. Many Nigerians have been itching for democracy dividends from their federal representatives to feel government presence in their area. Ordinarily, the idea of constituency projects should not arise in presidential democracy. Since the electorates desire projects from their lawmakers at all levels of government, the idea could be used to bring national development to the constituencies. The Nigerian National Assembly in response to the yearnings of their constituents for federal presence demanded and got "constituency project" fund. Since the inception of constituency project in Nigeria there have been misconceptions, misinterpretations and judgment of the constituency project administration. This and indeed some other factors have painted the hallowed chambers of National Assembly in bad light. Therefore, this paper seeks to find out the origin, management. of constituency projects in Nigeria. It adopts desk research method; drawing data mainly from secondary source and adopts analytical research in arriving at finding. It found that members of the National Assembly merely identify the needs of the constituents and recommend same to the executive during budgeting. Ultimately, they have no direct control over their implementation; hence the award, financing and supervision of constituency projects are the preserves of appropriate agencies other than the National Assembly. Findings also show that other democracies have similar arrangements in place. It recommends that since constituency projects are expedient, it should have a constitutional basis.
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