Lagos Seeks More Powers For States
GILBERT EKUGBE
The Lagos State Government has called on the present administration to give more powers to state governments across the country to operate independently, maintaining that States have to a large extent the resources to help them govern their affairs.
He said the call is apt especially at a time when federal allocations to States are largely insufficient to address the basic needs of the citizenry.
The Governor, Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo Olu, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, at the Third annual lecture organised by Freedom Online Newspaper tagged “Nigeria: Foundation, Fundamentals, future” said the move would make it easier for citizens to hold to account, the tiers of government that is close to the masses.
He explained that the federal government must divide more power, resources, and responsibility as needed.
“There are so many federal roads that are state roads. The state can maintain these roads, but the resources must also follow it. We must review the terms of fiscal responsibility between the Federal and State government.
He added: “Each state should license their drivers that is the way it should be and that is the way it is all over the world. We do not believe we should have barriers at our toll gates, but the question is that we do not control the numbers that come in and because of that it becomes difficult to manage.
There is no reason States cannot operate independently to a very large extent. Apart from issues like defence policy, border control and customs. States should be allowed to control the drilling of oil and the mining of solid minerals and pay into the Federal account.”
“There is no reason why States cannot generate and distribute electricity within their geographical limits.
This can be done where the necessary return will be given to the government. Lagos and Kebbi despite the geographical distance have collaborated on rice farming with excellent results,” he added.
He stressed that Nigeria like other countries of the world is not immune to economic challenges, advising that all that is required is to fix and address the challenges.
He pointed out that in the trajectory of human development, countries must constantly evolve and reinvent themselves to face the socio and political challenges of the present and the future.
“The way forward is not necessarily copying what others have done, but evaluate the way forward to project a good image for our country,” he added.
Also speaking at the event, the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, represented by the Registrar, Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria, said the lives and property of Nigerians should be given priority, urging the government to give powers to people who have the technical capabilities to take charge of the current high level of insecurity.
Delivering his keynote address, the former Deputy National Chairman, PDP, Olabode George, said for Nigeria to get it right, the nation must learn from the China industrial revolution to change its economic narratives.
“We must create wealth using resources within our environment. We must change our ways, situate ourselves in a better place to achieve an all-inclusive economic growth,” he said.
The Managing Director, Freedom Online, Gabriel Akinadewo, said this is not a time to blame political parties, but addressing fundamental issues, saying that Nigeria is not too big to learn from small countries to address its security concerns.
He said Nigeria must also re-evaluate the country’s security architecture.
“There is need for a national conversation. We must not allow the world to find an alternative to Nigeria and the time to change is now,” he said.
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