By Pius Adesanmi.
N100 billion in "constituency projects". That is what just one branch of the Nigerian state, the National Assembly, will steal this fiscal year. It has been assented to and passed as part of the 2016 budget.
We all know the history of "constituency projects" in Nigeria. We all know that "constituency projects" is to a Senator and Rep what "security vote" is to a state Governor: money to be legally stolen without having to account for it.
N100 billion. They will steal every kobo of it. And this is only what they will steal legitimately and lawfully o. We are not even talking of what they will steal illegally o. And we are not talking about those outrageous salaries and allowances.
Sadly, not many Nigerians will meticulously go through the PDF version of what their Senators and Reps have entered as "constituency projects" for 2016 in their name.
And I am not sure I should even be encouraging folks to read it. No need asking folks to go and read what will make them wonder if we belong in the human race or not. I'm beginning to have my doubts...
I am saying this because when I see how these utterly vile animals we call Senators and Reps are planning to steal N100 billion in the name of "youth", "women", and "children", I also have to deal with the painful realization that they come from us; that they are us; that they did not drop from Mars or Jupiter. They are products of our society, of our mores, of our values. In other words, are we what I am also calling them?
Some of these people even entered "hair dressing salons" and "barbing salons" as constituency projects. Are they planning to build free hair dressing and barbing salons in their constituencies? And these are the saner entries o. One forgot himself and entered "reconstruction of a culvert". Possibly, he has been reconstructing that culvert every year since 1999.
How else do you label people who are callous and inhuman enough to enter so many looting avenues under entries such as "youth empowerment", "women empowerment", "children empowerment"? No elaboration. No specifics. It used to be "miscellaneous". Now they have abandoned that language for "empowerment".
Does the concept of blood money no longer exist in our society? Women and children and youth are actually dying everyday because of the Nigerian tragedy. Yet, these monsters will steal N100 billion in the name of the dying and the dead this fiscal year.
Then, after stealing the N100 billion, those among them with a little bit of conscience and trickle down palliative mentality will start their own show:
Senator Ben Murray-Bruce will ride okada to donate rice to the poor.
Senator Dino Melaye will "sell hawked" groundnuts in solidarity with poor.
Senator Shehu Sani will donate donkeys and rakunmi to the poor.
These are the humane ones o.
Can these humanoids sacrifice this N100 billion and not take it this year? Can they sacrifice it for Nigerians, for the sake of Nigeria?
For where? After all, Nigeria already has professional sacrificers in the Nigerian people who can always be relied upon to make the sacrifice, to be the sacrifice that the leadership says is necessary for Nigeria to get out of the dark age. Only the people should be sacrificing. If it gets too tough, the Nigerian state will find some coins to fling palliatives at them.
Add this N100 billion to the annual security votes of 36 state governors and do the math...
Just two instances: block the drain that are constituency and security votes in the system and life will drastically start to change for the better for the average Nigerian.
We have not done these things - I'm listing just two o - and folks are rationalizing economicide for the people in the shape of higher electricity tariffs, higher petrol pump price, and zero salary.
Do you know what N100 billion can do on the workers salaries front for some states? How can the National Assembly, which produces nothing, be more financially viable than all the states put together?
Because of security votes, many state Governors today are like Mobutu Sese Seko, able to loan money to their states. By the way, we need to know what Ogbeni earned as security vote the month his state got only N6 million allocation from the Federation account.
Hardly any Governor is paying salaries. But they cannot sacrifice their security vote for the people. I don't know which security they are providing. People are dying from Boko Haram, kidnappers, armed robbers, herdsmen. Assorted death. Orisirisi kpeme. Where is that security?
If your Governor cannot sacrifice his security vote
If your Senator cannot sacrifice his constituency vote
If your Rep cannot sacrifice his constituency vote
And you leave them in peace and put one leg on top of another leg to come and disturb me in the public sphere about why Nigerians must be ready to sacrifice, the thunder that will fire you has just received its own security vote and is turbo charging as I write.
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