What Makes For An Effective Constituency Representative?

OGBUEFI HARRIS CHUMA

For a House Of Representatives Member to be successful, the constituents  must have some sense that they are being effectively represented in the House. This proximity to constituents is the basis of parliaments’ representative function.

According to John K. Johnson, writing for the World Bank Institute, “Unlike chief executives, who represent entire nations, or bureaucrats and judges, whose responsibility it is to carry out and interpret the law impartially toward all citizens, legislators are responsible for representing the differences in society, and for bringing these differences into the policy-making arena.”

The Green Chambers, as the sum total of these differences, is said to represent the beliefs and ideas of a nation.

The representative function of a parliament is characterised by its role as a venue for disparate perspectives, for the expression and debate of issues of local and national importance, and the translation of those debates into policies. For House Members, effective representation requires engaging their constituents in continuing dialogue in order to understand their views and perspectives, and to rely on their knowledge on various topics. A Federal House Member must then utilise the powers vested in the office (i.e. legislating, participating in debates, authoring questions, etc.) to voice the resulting ideas. Through the House Committees a House Member can use the formal structure of parliament to engage constituents and provide them with direct access to the decision-making process within the institution.

Federal House Members must maintain ongoing constituency relations to demonstrate their accomplishments and to seek the input of constituents. Aside from re-engaging constituents in dialogue, House Members may also provide other types of constituency services, including casework (i.e. helping to solve constituents’ problems), facilitation of access to the Executive Branch and advocating for resources for the constituency.

In Nigeria, House Members are provided with Constituency Development Funds, to allocate limited but significant funding to capital projects that are a priority for the House Member and the constituency.

Effective Representative conducts Outreach Programmes, Town Hall Meetings with constituents on an ongoing basis. Even if  Green Chambers broadcasts its sessions via television, a House Member must have Website, and publications designed to help include constituents in the policy process. Because constituents cannot know how they are being represented if the Representative is uncommunicative, Transparency has an important bearing on the representative function.

In the recent past,  Constituent Members Of Oyi/Ayamelum Federal Constituency have been completely denied of dividends of democracy.  We have been thrown into the darkest abys of underdevelopment, no thanks to the incumbent House member representing the good people of Oyi/Ayamelum Federal Constituency.

To arrest the ugly trend, we have finalized all arrangements to retire the erring House Member come 2019 through the ballot. We have appraised his performance and found out that he is not sincere with the management of Constituency Development Funds.

We set forth Ekene Enefe to take the turn of Oyi and restore the dwindling fortunes of  Oyi/Ayamelum Federal Constituency.

Ekene Enefe has declared to retrieve any looted funds belonging to Ndi Oyi /Ayamelum within one year in National Assembly.

Below is the Appropriation for 2016, & 2017 For Oyi/Ayamelum Federal Constituency.

Right to know what happened? Right to monitor the projects. Right to ask relevant questions.

🏼🏼🏼🏼🏼🏼🏼

2016 APPROPRIATION FOR OYI/AYAMELUM FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY, ANAMBRA STATE

S/N
CODE
PG/VOL
MINISTRY
LINE ITEM OF PROJECT IN THE 2016 APPROPRAITION ACT
AMOUNT

1.
ZIP368
18ZIP/2
WKS,PWR & HOUSING (REA)
SUPPLY OF 2 NOS. 500KVA TRANSFORMERS IN OYI/AYAMELUM FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY, ANAMBRA STATE.
(10 MILLION)

2.
ZIP1097
52ZIP/2
PWR,WKS & HOUSING (REA)
ELECTRIFICATION OF UMUMBO COMMUNITY IN AYAMELUM L.G.A. OF ANAMBRA STATE
(40 MILLION)

3.
ZIP1098
52ZIP/2
WATER RESOURCES(AIRBDA)
PROVISION OF MOTORIZED BOREHOLE IN NTEJE, AWKUZU, OGBUNIKE, UMUNYA AND NKWELLE EZUNNAKA COMMUNITIES IN OYI L.G.A. OF ANAMBRA STATE
(36 MILLION)

4.
ZIP1099
52ZIP/2
TRADE & INVESTMENT (SMEDAN)
SKILL ACQUISITION/ EMPOWERMENT IN OYI/AYAMELUM FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY : 83 MOTORCYCLES, 15 SEATER BUS, 14 CASSAVA PROCESSING MACHINES, 22 WELDING MACHINES, ANAMBRA STATE
(33 MILLION)

***********
2017 APPROPRIATION FOR OYI/AYAMELUM FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY, ANAMBRA STATE

S/N
CODE
PG/VOL
MINISTRY
LINE ITEM OF PROJECT IN THE APPROPRAITION ACT 2017
AMOUNT

1.
NIOFF81270214
411/1
AGRICULTURE
DEVELOPMENT OF FISH FARM AND TRAINING OF MANPOWER FOR SITES AT ANAKU AND OMASI, ANAMBRA STATE
(35 MILLION)

2.
ARNMF51976023
867/2
WATER RES.
CONSTRUCTION OF MOTORIZED BOREHOLE AT EMENIKE PETER COMPOUND IN AKUZU TOWN, IRUABO VILLAGE, OYI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, ANAMBRA STATE.
(10 MILLION)

3.
ARNMF07249383
870/2
WATER RES.
3NOS. SOLAR POWERED BOREHOLES IN OYI LGA- AYAMELUM/OYI FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY- ANAMBRA STATE
(30 MILLION)

4.
ARNMF26852803
872/2
WATER RES.
EROSION CONTROL UKULU, OYI LGA, ANAMBRA STATE
(200 MILLION)

5.
ZIP562

ZIP,37/2
JUSTICE (NAPTIP)
SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION OF TRANSFORMERS IN OYI/AYAMELUM FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY, ANAMBRA STATE
(40 MILLION)

6.
ZIP613
ZIP,40/2
JUSTICE (NDLEA)
SENSITIZATION, ADVOCACY AND DRUG ENLIGHTENMENT CAMPAIGN IN OYI/AYAMELUM FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY, ANAMBRA STATE
(20 MILLION)

7.
ZIP1055
ZIP,66/2
SCI TECH (PRODA)
SKILL ACQUISITION TRAINING ON HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS IN OYI/AYAMELUM FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY
(40 MILLION)

8.
ZIP1056
ZIP,66/2
SCI TECH (PRODA)
SKILL ACQUISITION TRAINING ON ICT IN OYI/AYAMELUM FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY
(22 MILLION)

Ekenem!

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