STOP JUDGING LAWMAKERS BY CONSTITUENCY PROJECTS - REP AKIBA

STOP JUDGING LAWMAKERS BY CONSTITUENCY PROJECTS, SAYS REPS MEMBER


A member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Bassey Akiba, has urged Nigerians to stop assessing lawmakers solely based on the number of constituency projects they execute, stressing that such practice undermines the core constitutional duty of legislators, which is lawmaking.

Akiba, who represents Calabar Municipality/Odukpani Federal Constituency of Cross River State on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), made the call while engaging with journalists in Calabar on Saturday night.

According to the lawmaker, the growing tendency to judge members of the National Assembly by physical projects rather than legislative output has shifted public focus away from governance, policy-making, and effective oversight.

He explained that while constituency projects are beneficial in addressing local development needs, they are not the primary responsibility of legislators under the Nigerian Constitution.

“There is nothing wrong with citizens demanding development projects, but many Nigerians are unaware that project execution is not the core function of a lawmaker,” Akiba said.

He noted that lawmakers often invest significant time and energy lobbying for constituency projects, a process which can detract from their main legislative responsibilities.

“We struggle hard to attract these projects to our constituencies, and this often affects our primary responsibility, which is making laws for national development,” he added.

Despite the challenges, Akiba said he has made deliberate efforts to positively impact his constituency through structured development initiatives and social intervention programmes across key sectors.

He disclosed that his interventions span education, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure, security, and economic empowerment, with a strong focus on inclusiveness and grassroots participation.

In the agricultural sector, the lawmaker said his constituency outreach programme operates across four major value chains—cassava, oil palm, poultry, and fisheries—providing farmers with critical inputs such as hybrid cassava stems and poultry feed to improve productivity.

He further revealed that a cooperative-based empowerment scheme has been established in all wards within Calabar Municipality and Odukpani Local Government Area, enrolling thousands of residents annually.

According to him, ₦25 million was recently disbursed through the programme to support small-scale farmers and entrepreneurs, with funding facilitated through the Bank of Agriculture.

On education, Akiba disclosed that he launched a ₦50 million educational support scheme in 2024, which was expanded to ₦100 million in 2025, targeting indigent students across the constituency.

“Beneficiaries receive support for school fees, textbooks, and other learning materials, including school bags,” he said.

He also highlighted interventions in public safety and infrastructure, noting that the installation of street lighting and related projects has improved night-time visibility and security in several previously dark communities.

Akiba reiterated the need for Nigerians to place greater emphasis on legislative performance, policy advocacy, and accountability, while still encouraging citizen engagement in governance.

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