Namdas explained that the approved funds in the budget, which is expected to be signed next week, were not initiated by the legislature but the executive.
Briefing newsmen in Abuja, yesterday, he said that the constituency projects funds, also known as zonal intervention funds, were standard international practice.
“We are allowed to nominate projects since we are the representatives of the people and we know the problems in our communities, but the projects are domiciled with the ministries or agencies.
The funds are not given as cash to legislators,” Namdas stressed. Also at plenary, Muhammadu Farouk ,Niger APC, was asked to retract a statement he made in an interview to a foreign radio station, that lawmakers had been given N100 million each for constituency projects.
Several members noted that the report had led to their being threatened by their constituents. Farouk, however, insisted that he was misquoted.
In another development, The House has directed its Public Accounts Committee, PAC, to carry out a comprehensive investigation of public funds and assets recovered from 1999 till date.
The investigation is hinged on statements credited to the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami, that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had so far recovered $2 trillion since its establishment 12
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