Date Published: 06/21/09
MDG: Perfect Initiative, but Poor Implementation
By Thlama Shallangwa
Nigeria ’s future is bleak. We have misplaced our priorities. If care is not taken, Nigeria may be among the very few member nations, that signed the September 2000 Summit which gave birth to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals but will not achieve any of the 8 main goals by its target year of 2015. This may not be unconnected with the fact that the MDGs, people oriented as they are but the organs charged with the responsibility to collaborate and carry out specific functions in line with the target audience, do not seem to have the capacity and political will to do so. Most of them charged with the responsibility to implement this policy directive have chosen to do something contrary.
While the Federal, State and Local Governments failed in their responsibility to eradicate poverty and hunger among the people in their respective areas of jurisdiction , the National Assembly who are partners in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals, have generally taken the backseat in transforming their constituencies irrespective of the millions of naira allocated to them in the country’s annual budget barely 10 years after the re-introduction of democracy in Nigeria.
Job creation is the most important issue for most Nigerians. Despite the economic growth recorded in the past, coupled with the current economic meltdown, the country’s economy is not growing enough to absorb the number of unemployed people. No thanks to the PDP’s government rationalization of public service and its lackluster performance especially in the last 10 years.
The opportunity to engage these categories of Nigerians would have come in handy by judicious use of constituency project fund allocated directly into the personal account of members of the National Assembly. But alas, this was not to be. Of course, this noble idea was unfortunately hijacked by few privileged Nigerians who hide under the cover of being elected into office. This is another grand design to oil the wheels of corruption in the system.
Unlike what obtains between 2007 and now, monies earmarked for constituency projects meant for legislators in the State Assemblies and the NASS were not sent directly into their personal accounts for project execution. The legislators instead, identify projects meant for execution in their constituencies for inclusion in annual budgets with a financial ceiling. That was because they do not have any constitutional backing in the current 1999 constitution to award contracts and or execute project. Rather, the powers to execute works and supervise them are left with appropriate executive agencies of government to handle them.
But in spite of the aforementioned constitutional provision two allocations were made to each National Assembly Member in 2008 alone, one each from the Millennium. Development Goal and N10 billion allocated to each of the six geopolitical zones from the Federation Account. These monies may have gone down the drain after all, as there are no signs of development dotting the country’s landscape to justify these allocations.
No doubt, another N60 billion constituency fund allocation for 2009 fiscal year awarded in the first quarter of this year to the federal lawmakers is an issue that boggles the minds of some concerned Nigerians. The question they seem to be asking is whether our representatives (NASS) are God fearing, sincere and judicious in utilizing the huge amount directly allocated to them for the development of the constituencies?
Generally, it has been reportedly confirmed that while a handful of them had attempted to move their constituencies to the next level in terms of development, but still majority of the legislators had not contemplated to eradicate poverty. They had neither attempted to reduce child mortality nor developed a near global partnership for community development. To worsen the situation, the menace of HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other avoidable diseases is still ravaging most communities. What most legislators do to deceive the electorate, is to announce in the media plans to embark on projects, only to disappear from public glare to only God knows where. This is an unfortunate situation. I am confident that most if not all the constituents have learnt a bitter lesson in the hands of these guys.
The Adamawa Central Senatorial Zone does not seem to be lucky enough in terms of attaining any of the major goals approved to be met ahead of 2015 target year by the UN. A visit to any of the seven local governments encompassing the zone namely: Fufore, Yola North, Yola South, Girei, Hong, Song and Gombi would enable one to appreciate more the level of decay, neglect, desolation and despair on the faces of the electorate. In some of these council areas, several communities still drink water from the same source with cattle in the absence of boreholes. Some also have to trek long distances for Medicare. There are no accessible roads to transport farm produce, no electricity, with poverty making mincemeat of citizens. The Senator representing the area, Jibril Aminu, though had ample opportunity to bequeath legacies since 2003 to date at the upper legislative chamber, had instead laid the foundation for economic, social and political under development in those areas.
Infact the greatest burden to Adamawa’s ruling party as at today is the Senator in question Apart from his controversial posture, he is vindictive. People who share ideas with him describe him as somebody who does things in contrast to the character of leaders that are just. It is also alleged that his kind of politics is at variance with the wishes of the people.
The story from Hong/Gombi Federal constituency is a worst case. In spite of the presence of some political gladiators claiming to be wielding some influence at the national level from the axis, Hong LG in particular has remained desolate, underdeveloped and to say the least – impoverished since 2007. It is alleged that Mr. Emmanuel Bello in connivance with this crop of politicians has resolved to divert constituency allocations made to him for these areas to other personal ventures. This is in anticipation of a possible negative outcome from the electoral litigation he filed at the Supreme Court, in defence of his questionable mandate given him by INEC at the Lower Chamber. Since his controversial mandate, there is no semblance of development in any of the villages encompassing Hong / Gombi council areas. According to a mid term rating of This Day News Paper of May 31, 2009, Mr. Emmanul Bello “has no records of bills and motions and no visibility on the floor” of the House of Representatives since 2007 to date. In fact you won’t be far from the truth, if you describe him as “a more or less bench warmer in the hallowed chambers of the NASS.
It would be recalled that Mr. Bello who lost his bid to retain his seat at the Lower Chamber both at High Court and the Court Of Appeal, has taken his case to the Apex Court for final adjudication.
Thlama Shallangwa, P.O. BOX 759 Garkida, Gombi LGA
