…No Rift In House Over Projects Fund– Reps Spokesman, Kalu

Crisis of interest may be lurking around the corner in the House of Representatives following a lopsided allocation of funds for the execution of constituency projects, with lawmakers alleging that some House members were favoured than others.

Sources within the House confirmed to our correspondent that the amounts allocated for constituency projects in the 2021 budget were unevenly distributed causing rift between the aggrieved lawmakers and the leadership.

The disagreement stems from the discovery that lawmakers who are first timers have been allocated more funds for constituency projects than their older counterparts.

This development, sources said has generated suspicion between the House leadership and the aggrieved House members with the latter spoiling for war including impeachment of the current leadership.

Insider sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity told this newspaper that while lawmakers who are first timers were allocated between N700 million – N1 billion and in some cases N2.5 billion, House members who are second, and third timers were allocated a miserly N100 million.

“House members are angry over the manner funds for constituency projects were distributed and are laying the blame on Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, even though he has disowned the budget.”

“The Speaker is however, blaming the Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Rep. Aliyu Mukhtar Betara for the confusion, and has directed for a supplementary allocation to address the lopsided allocation of funds,” the source revealed, adding that aggrieved members have been directed to submit requests for the allocation of additional funds.

When contacted over the development, the Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Rep. Benjamin Kalu, denied knowledge of any misunderstanding amongst lawmakers over the allocation of funds for constituency projects.

Kalu stated that Speaker Gbajabiamila is unaware of the grievances of members regarding constituency projects, disclosing that as a lawmaker, he was hearing about the issue for the first time.

“As you mentioned, the Speaker is not aware of any lopsidedness neither am l. I’m hearing it for the first time and l am certain that it’s not true.

“The allocation for constituency projects is a statutory N100 billion distributed across senatorial districts and federal constituencies.

“This is what a member is entitled to and it is not controlled by the chairman appropriation. Other projects beyond this, belong to the citizens in those areas and a function of lobbying by all the stakeholders from the area, not just the members of the National Assembly,” he explained.

Also, he denied the preparation of a supplementary allocation by the House leadership targeted at a particular objective, adding that “no supplementary budget will be used by the National Assembly to balance any non-existing imbalance.”

“The chairman of House Appropriation Committee does not generate budget line items. The executive does, while we screen to meet the desires of the citizens,” Kalu said.

Attempts to get the Appropriation committee chairman, Hon. Aliyu Betara from Borno, to comment on the allegation proved abortive as he could not be reached on his mobile phone.

Daily Independent

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