WHY MEMBERS OF LAGOS STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY ARE ALWAYS NOT READY TO LEAVE

PUSH NEWS 24 INTERNATIONAL : April 26th, 20222)

WHY MEMBERS OF LAGOS STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY ARE ALWAYS NOT READY TO LEAVE THEIR SEATS

Do you remember the Late Senator Sikiru Adebayo Oṣinowo – 4 terms; Rt. Hon. Mudashiru in his 5th term currently, and many others like that too, in the same Lagos State House of Assembly.

Push News 24 International investigation reveals that unexplained allocated constituency funds , fear of the unknown after leaving office , influences of some creepy stakeholders (godfathers/sponsors) , more power acquisition and the mentality of sit-tight syndrome are major factors  preventing members of the Lagos Assembly from leaving their seats even after they are no longer popular amongst their people.

A case in hand is the Constituency project, It’s the responsibilities of the ASSEMBLY MEMBER TO  FORM A PROJECT COMMITTEE and also NOMINATE THE KIND OF PROJECT TO BE EXECUTED.

The Assembly Member is the Chairman of the Project Committee and is expected to nominate 5 Members of the Community who are known to work with them.

Every quarter funds is released for any project nominated by the members.

It’s public knowledge how Lagos lawmakers hold parastatals heads to ransom when they go to defend budget, they will usually demand for a non-negotiable amount before they can pass their budgets.

The truth is constituency project is the only way projects can have a state spread.  A look at the annual budget will show that projects usually do not cover every part of a state but through constituency project, every constituency gets something. It is the best approach to bring about even development as every part of the state.

Naturally, the Nigerian masses look up to government for democracy dividends. The Lagos State Assembly in response to the yearnings of their constituents for development demanded and got “Constituency Project” funds. Since the inception of constituency project in Nigeria there has been misconceptions, misinterpretations and ill judgement of the constituency project administration. This and indeed some other factors have painted the Lagos Assembly in bad light particularly because it’s all shrouded in secrecy. Critics of the Fund are quickly to call it “food for the boys” largely because Honourable members claim ignorance of this fund despite been passed to law by them.

Please read and study the following equations and explanation:

Lagos State House of Assembly passed N1.758trn as budget for 2022.

The Recurrent expenditure is N591,280,803,486bn.

The Capital expenditure is N1.166,915,843,358trn.

Meanwhile, Lagos State Constituency (Development) Project Law set aside 15% of Capital Expenditure Budget to be distrinuted among the 40 Constituent Members of Lagos State House of Assembly, though to be given to them at installments of three-month quota.

First of all, can we calculate 15% of N1.166,915,843,358 Trillion (approximately 1.2 Trillion Naira), which is the Capital Expenditure sum:
[15 ÷ 100] × 1.2 Trillion Naira = 180 Billion Naira.
This is Equation 1.

Second equation is to calculate how much is expected to be the quota of a Constituent Member representing one Constituency in that lump sum of 180 Billion Naira. Don’t forget that they are just 40 in number:
180 Billion Naira ÷ 40 Members = 4.5 Billion Naira per Member to be administered for Constituency Projects in their respective Constituencies for a whole one year, i.e 4.5 Billion Naira for One Constituency.
This is Equation 2.

Then, let’s come to the third step which is how much is expected to be delivered to each Member at every 3 Month:
4.5 Billion Naira ÷ [12 months ÷ 3 months] = 1.125 Billion Naira after every 3 months.
That is a member is expected to deliver about 1 Billion Naira to his Constituency fro Projects Development.
This is Equation 3.

Now, let us give consideration for Governor’s influence and the influence of other factors like Godfathers and Godmothers, Political Urchins, beaurecracy compensations etc, and say like 30% to 40% (per cent) of the quarterly 1 Billion Naira is always been deducted, part of which form the money that goes into pockets of Big Politicians in Lagos, there should still be like 500 Million to 600 Million that accrues to Each Member after every 3 months.

Now my big question is this: this year is not over though, and I am not sure whether the first quota for this year has been disbursed to the Members, but let us look back at the last 3 years, does the Constituency Projects in, for instance, Badagry Constituency 1 of Lagos State looks like anything near 200 Million Naira in Value?

Push News 24 International …we speak your mind!

Additional contributions by A. A. LAKANNRE