By Our Reporter
The current structure places too much burden on the Federal Government of Nigeria and this is not healthy for a federal system with its attendant diversity. This views was expressed by the governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, while speaking at the at the Two-Day NorthWest Zonal Public Hearing on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, held at General Hassan Usman Katsina House, Kaduna.
According to El-Rufai, “I regard devolution of powers as a pragmatic imperative because the current structure overburdens the Federal Government with too many responsibilities which it cannot efficiently handle.”
He further noted that the country was confronted by too many challenges to which the current arrangement could not effectively provide solutions. He therefore called on leaders across the three tiers of government to come together and proffer solutions that can move the nation forward and assist it to overcome the current challenges.
“As a nation, we are facing one of our most trying times. We have profound social problems. Our economy is struggling. Across the country, citizens harbor widespread fears and anxiety about their security. Insecurity has created a febrile atmosphere, worsened by a barrage of extreme rhetoric, ethnic profiling, and fake news that seeks to exploit the distress, pains and misery of our people to further separatist and divisive ends,” El-Rufai said.
In his view, “political leaders have a duty to help overcome these fears and replace them with the mutual confidence to build anew. Rather than wallow in strife and division, we can mobilize our people, across the diversity of Nigeria, in a joint endeavor for peace, progress and prosperity. It is in our hands to build Nigeria as a strong country that is secure enough to protect all who live in it, progressive enough to promote equal opportunity and common citizenship, and flexible enough to empower sub-nationals.”
El-Rufai who was the chairperson of the Committee set up in 2018 by the All Progressives Congress to make recommendations to the party onTrue Federalism further noted that, “We need consensus on constitutional and political arrangements that prioritize security, democracy and progress. This should include agreement on: a. Commitment to the rule of law and quick dispensation of justice. b. Common citizenship, respect for diversity and protection of citizenship rights guaranteed by the Constitution. c. Meritocracy and equal opportunity for all citizens without discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, religion, gender or circumstances of birth. d. Prioritization of human development, particularly free basic education and healthcare for all. e. Devolution of powers to States and Local Governments to attain true federalism, engender competition between sub-nationals, and focus the Federal Government to effectively deliver on matters of national defence, security, foreign policy and macroeconomic management.”
In his words, “the APC Committee on True Federalism proposed that the following items should be shared responsibilities, rather exclusive to the Federal Government: a. Police b. Oil and Gas (other than offshore in the Continental Shelf and Extended Economic Zone)c. Mines and Minerals (other than offshore in the Continental Shelf and Extended Economic Zone) d. Railways e. Prisons f. Fingerprint and criminal identification records g. Stamp Duties h. Registration of Business Names i. Food, Drugs and Poisons (other than Narcotics) j. National Minimum Wage.”
