New states, LGs, misplaced priority –Wamakko

October 19, 2012 by John Alechenu, Abuja  

 

Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Aliyu Wamakko
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Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Aliyu Wamakko, on Thursday, said the agitation for the creation of new states and local government councils was a misplaced priority.
Nigerians, he rather said, should be looking for ways of strengthening the current federal structure with a view to developing the country.
Wamakko said this in an interview with newsmen, in Abuja.
According to him, the cost of running the states as presently constituted was too much, noting that additional states would not serve the developmental interest of the country.
Wamakko said, “I want to repeat, that our problem is not the constitution but ourselves because some of the agitation that we are hearing are more of sentiments and parochial things and not things that will make this country better or stronger.
“For example, we have agitation for new states, and new local governments to achieve what?
“Let’s make the present states more functional, more effective, more result-oriented then you can add more.”
He said the little resources available should be used to improve the lives of Nigerians, saying the cost of running states and local councils was enormous.
He added, “That money can be used to provide service for the ordinary Nigerian.
“I don’t think the constitution is our problem. The problem is our attitude as Nigerians, our own weakness, our own lack of commitment, lack of political will to implement what is already in our constitution.
“Of course, there will be one thing or the other we can change in the constitution, but we must understand that there will never come a day that everything we need will be written in our constitution in black and white.
“Some of the things we need can be taken care of by state houses of Assembly and so on.”
He, however said, Nigerians had right to express their opinion as guaranteed by the Constitution.”
On the onshore /off shore debate, he said, the argument would have been unnecessary if the right things were done. 
He said, “I want you as a journalist to go on the internet check what is obtainable in other countries.
“What is happening here in Nigeria is different from what is happening in any part of the world where there is this kind of deposits.”

SOURCE: The Punch - Nigeria's Most Widely Read Newspaper 19 October 2012.