2017 budget: Senate demands N1.4trn for constituency projects

The Senate on Thursday passed a bill seeking to set aside 20 percent of the country’s annual budget for constituency projects for third reading.

Constituency projects will get N1.4 trillion out of the 7.3trillion 2017 budget estimates to be presented to the National Assembly if the bill is passed into law.

The bill which was sponsored by Senator Stella Oduah was titled ‘Constituency project bill 2016’.

Oduah said: “One of the unique features of our democratic journey so far is the concept of ‘Constituency Projects’. Available statistics show that 70 per cent of Nigerians live in the rural areas and the intention of the bill is to ensure that good governance is delivered to these crucial areas.

“The bill is also intended to correct the top-bottom approach of governance and replace it with the bottom top approach. Constituency project in recent time is one of the ways to attract federal presence to our people,” she said.

Chief Whip of the Senate, Olusola Adeyeye said the 20% should be based on capital project.

“This is not money given to Senators or Reps, it is money meant for specific projects. At the moment, it is N100billion for 109 Senatorial Districts and 360 Federal constituencies. That’s 1.5 percent of the Federal Budget,” he said.

Senate President, Bukola Saraki referred the bill to the committees on Finance and Appropriation for further legislative actions with a 4-week timeframe.

One comment

  1. Comment: Let all Nigerians benefit from the Budget you want to make. Most especially the poors, because most of the people in Nigeria are about to die because of hunger

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