The committee said with the allocation, it doubted if the federal projects in the 360 constituencies in the country could be achieved.
It was billed to take on the special duties minister, Kabiru Tanibu Turaki, but soon after introduction, the members took their seats and the deputy chairman of the committee, Rep Bello Kaoje (PDP, Kebbi) who presided the meeting swung into action.
Based on the parliamentary procedures, the minister was to make his budget presentation first, starting from the previous year’s allocation before delving into the current year.
However, Kaoje who was apparently not happy with the 2014 budget allocation to constituencies’ projects and did not allow Turaki to make any presentation.
“Honourable minister, we have seen your document and proposal. But from what we are seeing, I don’t think this amount is enough to carry out those constituencies’ projects,” he said.
He added: “In fact, the amount is meager, and in my opinion, your mandate can’t be carried out successfully, and we won’t allow this as a committee.”
He therefore ended the session by saying the minister would liaise with the committee to see what could be done to get more funds allocated to the projects for their realization.
Turaki later told journalists after the session that the committee understood what his ministry was going through, which was why the lawmakers declined the allocation.
“Right from inception more than any other committee they understand the complexities that have been afflicting the Ministry as a new ministry. They understood the challenges we face in surviving as a ministry and at the same time carrying out the mandate Mr President has given to us.”
He said the constituencies’ projects usually have a fixed allocation of N100 billion, saying it achieved about 95 percent implementation last year.
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