A license to steal: How constituency projects enable corruption, by Bello M. Abdullahi

The National Assembly Constituency projects, intended to bridge the gap between the government and the people, have unfortunately become a conduit for stealing public funds and unlawful self-enrichment. This egregious practice has been perpetuated by some unscrupulous lawmakers, who have turned these projects into a means of lining their pockets.

The modus operandi is simple: lawmakers allocate funds for projects in their constituencies, but instead of executing these projects, they give their companies or/and those of their families, cronies or they outrightly embezzle the funds. In some cases, the projects are abandoned or poorly executed, leaving the constituents with nothing to show for the allocated funds. This is a clear case of corruption, and it’s unacceptable .

The consequences of this practice are far-reaching. It erodes trust in the government, undermines the economy, and perpetuates poverty. The people are denied the basic amenities they deserve, while the lawmakers reap the benefits. It’s a vicious cycle that must be broken.

Transparency International defines corruption as the abuse of entrusted power for private gain . This definition aptly describes the constituency project scam. Lawmakers are entrusted with power to serve the people, but they abuse this power to enrich themselves.

To stem this tide of corruption, there must be accountability and transparency. The National Assembly must put in place mechanisms to monitor the execution of constituency projects. The constituents must also be involved in the project selection and monitoring process. This will ensure that the projects are executed as intended, and the funds are not embezzled.

The fight against corruption requires collective effort. We must all join hands to condemn this practice and demand accountability from our lawmakers. The era of impunity must come to an end. It’s time to reclaim our country from the corrupt few who have held us hostage for too long.

_Abdullahi, a Public Affairs Analyst, writes from Kaduna_
12th January 2025.