…..discloses N400 million for ZIPs, SIPs, other
The Minority Whip of the House of Representatives, Isa Ali, on Friday met with his constituents in Billiri Local Government Area of Gombe State.
Ali said the meeting was part of efforts to relate with electorates in his constitutes to better accentuate their needs.
He expressed enthusiasm that the meeting would be sustained periodically following its importance.
PERISCOPE NIGERIA reports that the Minority Whip had earlier distributed foodstuffs to poor and vulnerable and water pumps to farmers to support irrigation farming.
Ali disclosed that members get about N400 million to execute constituency projects through Zonal Intervention Projects and Special Intervention Projects to clear the air on alleged humongous allocations to lawmakers.
The lawmaker who represents Billiri/Balanga Federal Constituency made this disclosure while fielding questions during a town hall meeting organised to keep constituents abreast of happening.
Ali explained that N179 million is budgeted for ZIPs, while N40 million is allocated to SIPs, adding that N200 million is budgeted for Billiri/Balanga constituency.
He said, “If you look at part of the bills I’m sponsoring is on federal constituencies and senatorial districts fund development bill to enable every constituency and senatorial district have major projects. When you move to most of these constituencies you will not see Federal Government project apart from the constituency projects done by members of the National Assembly.
“On the amount particularly we in the 10th House of Representatives, which Nigerians call the peoples house, we are very open the Zonal Intervention Project has been in existence for the past 20 years and the money has not changed it’s N179 million. We have Special Intervention Projects this year it’s N40 million, previous years it’s N30 million and the same thing with the ZIP previous years the money remains the same and we have other interventions like the capital intervention for Balanga/Billiri it’s N200 million. In total we are talking about a little above N400 million to each constituency.”
Speaking further the Minority Whip, who is a member of Peoples Democratic Party lauded the Federal Government for previously releasing 100 per cent for the
projects, “I’m part of the leadership and I’m working hard to ensure the implementation process commence and we will ensure 100 per cent implementation because to be honest from 2019 to 2023 the Federal Government tried by releasing almost 100 per cent all ZIPs and SIPs,” he added.
Ali assured his constituents that despite the economic situation of quality projects saying “We are working hard, the finances of the country is in a serious challenge but as a leader I’m working with my colleagues to ensure that this year’s intervention is also 100 per cent by the releases of the Federal Government.”
The Minority Whip disclosed that he inaugurated a committee comprising professionals to ensure quality in projects.
