The lawmaker representing Abeokuta South Federal Constituency, Hon. Afolabi Moruf Afuape, has defended the importance of constituency projects in national development, while calling for stronger monitoring mechanisms to ensure transparency and accountability in the management of project funds.
Afuape made the remarks at a colloquium organised by the Peace and Social Advancement Centre in his honour, with the theme: “Leadership, Service and the Imperative of People-Centred Development in Nigeria.”
The event brought together academics, policymakers and public affairs analysts, who collectively urged a shift from symbolic governance to measurable development outcomes, with emphasis on accountability, transparency and citizen-focused leadership.
Speaking at the forum, Afuape said constituency projects remain a vital channel through which legislators contribute directly to development in their constituencies, stressing that such interventions must not be discarded but strengthened through effective oversight.
He, however, warned that weak monitoring systems often create room for mismanagement of public funds, insisting that stricter controls were necessary to guarantee value for money.
“The funds meant for constituency projects must be properly monitored and controlled to avoid misappropriation,” he said.
The lawmaker also defended the Federal Government’s removal of fuel subsidy, arguing that the policy had expanded fiscal space for governance functions, including legislative interventions at the constituency level. According to him, the policy shift had become necessary for improved economic sustainability.
He, however, acknowledged that delays in budget implementation and funding gaps continue to hinder project delivery across constituencies nationwide.
Citing an example from his constituency, Afuape disclosed that the Olokuta road project, captured in the 2024 budget, had been abandoned midway due to non-release of funds, a situation he said had caused embarrassment and public dissatisfaction.
At the colloquium, stakeholders in governance and academia also called for a redefinition of leadership in Nigeria, stressing that development must be people-centred and performance-driven.
In his keynote address, Dr. Adeola Adams of the National Open University of Nigeria, Abuja, lamented what he described as a widening gap between leaders and citizens, saying Nigeria’s governance structure had become largely extractive.
He argued that citizens were being “ruled rather than governed”, calling for urgent institutional reforms anchored on visionary leadership and accountability.
He urged Nigerian leaders to adopt transformational governance models, citing countries such as Taiwan, Hong Kong and Switzerland as examples of societies that achieved rapid development through sustained investment in human capital.
According to him, nations that prioritise citizens’ welfare and productivity record faster economic transformation, irrespective of natural resource endowment..
One of the panelists, in his own contribution, Tijani Aliu of Crescent University, Abeokuta, advocated the creation of a dedicated ministry to supervise constituency projects nationwide, arguing that such a structure would curb corruption and improve project execution.
Also speaking, a Public affairs, Yemi Ajala criticised the performance of some political office holders, saying there was a growing disconnect between elected officials and their constituents, while Sola Aliu stressed that leadership must be anchored on service, probity and transparency
Ajala, also called for visionary leadership, warning that Nigeria’s development challenges would persist without deliberate long-term planning and strategic governance reforms.
Both Aliua and Ajala commended Afuape for subjecting himself to public scrutiny through open engagement with his constituents.
In his closing remarks, Femi Adeleye appreciated participants for their contributions, noting that sustained dialogue between citizens, policymakers and development stakeholders remained essential to strengthening Nigeria’s democratic governance.
