The on-going public hearings on the issues and areas for revision in
the nation’s 1999 Constitution has continued to throw up a lot of
revelations and pent up grievances among various sectors in the
nation. And in Anambra, the state government has been accused of owing
the traditional rulers a whopping sum of about nine billion naira
(N9BN), being the calculated 5% accumulated benefits accrued to them
from the state’s joint revenue with the 21 councils in the state.
This was revealed to journalists by the traditional ruler of Nawfia,
Njikoka LGA, by HRH Igwe Chijioke Nwankwo, Osuofia in his palace.
Also, Senator Annie Okonkwo has canvassed the need to do more to check
corruption, scrapping of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC). He
noted that both agencies have not made much difference in the war
against corruption in the country, and were apparently merely created
to provide jobs for the boys
According to Igwe Nwankwo, “the nation has three major tiers of
government-council, state and the Federal. But the main burden of
peace, security and policy administration rests mostly on the monarchs
across the country. They are closest to the citizens and are usually
called upon any time there was a crisis of any type, to intervene, to
talk to the people and make peace. Yet they have no legal role or
function and the various governors abuse them at will without any
legal remedy. They are not even allowed to elect who represents,
chairs or speaks on their behalf.
“Traditional rulers are always the first port of call in any
community. We need to be constitutionally recognized, funded and
protected with a set of rules and regulations on how customs and
traditions are kept. This will make the position more meaningful and
powerful especially in the south East where the monarchs do not get
their 5% state/LG joint account provision. It becomes more pronounced
in Anambra state where the law on the 5% fund for the traditional
rulers was passed Oct 9, 2007 pursuant to Sec 100(5) of the 1999
Constitution as amended. The Anambra state government has an
accumulated debt of above N9billion to the monarchs.
Senator Okonkwo pointed out the need for the creation of at least one
new state in the South East to bring it at par with most other
geo-political zones in the country. Or in the alternative there should
be formal recognition of Regional areas (geo-political zones) by the
constitution. “Each region gets their revenue allocations and go back
to share and administer same to the constituting states as they like.
This has been my long expressed stand, as that would naturally tackle
the issue of rampant agitation for the creation of new states. The
state electoral commissions should be abolished. It’s a fraud. We need
to have just one electoral system. Also to be abolished is the
State/Council Joint account as it has not served the purpose. There is
need to grant full autonomy to the state assembly and the councils.
While only the elected executives should be allowed access to the
council’s allocation.
He expressed firm support for the creation state Police, noting that
it is very clear that security is the nation’s greatest problem today
as a nation. “Why do we call the state governors Chief Security
Officers of their states where they have no control on the police?
None of the governors has control over any DPO or Commissioner, even
if the state is burning and they chose to do nothing. This is because
it is not the officers’ state of origin hence owed no moral allegiance
to the state or her citizens. Let there be local, state and federal
police. The state and local police would not allow any criminal to
enter their areas, let alone making it their haven, as is currently
being observed.
“On the revenue generation, the people should be allowed to have
fuller benefit of their natural endowment. It is evident that no state
cannot sustain itself but some have become financially weak because
the huge resources coming from the centre monthly has encouraged them
to stop being creative or innovative. When states start controlling
more of the revenue, the attraction and pressure to control the centre
would drastically reduce. The states would then apply the resources in
the rapid development of their areas more, federal or not”, the former
lawmaker stressed.
He solicited the assistance and understanding of other states of the
federation to have one additional state created in the South East. He
saw it as a serious injustice for one zone to have 7 states, other
four have 6 states each while only the South East has just 5 states.
This has put the zone in a big disadvantaged position already, for
years! It has less allocation, less development, less voice in the
national assembly and other national life. It needs to be redressed
first.
Chief Chris Kato, member representing Anambra East/West Federal
Constituency described the public hearing as very peaceful and all
inclusive as all sectors and interest groups actively participated. He
listed issues generally agreed upon to include the need to have equal
number of states in each geo-political zone. “We were also unanimous
on the need to scrap the state electoral commissions so that INEC
conducts all elections across the country at appointed time, with
specified tenure for all councils. The people also agreed on the
rotation of Presidency/Governor among the constituting zones to ensure
fairness and eliminate tension”.
While Afam Ogene, member representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency o be
assigned constitutional roles but first the local government system
must be strengthened. They are the closest to the people. It’s urgent
to have the state electoral bodies scrapped. The state assemblies need
financial autonomy as most if not all the members were nominated by
the governor, and he also pays their salaries/allowances. How then
would such person check the governor’s excesses or have independent
opinion whenever the need arise. I support the rotation of the
Presidency among the zones, but there is need to reduce the too much
powers presently wielded by him. It is the cause of the so much
pressures and tension. The constitution must now to recognize the six
geo-political zones and each zone should be made to have equal number
of states. It is a serious injustice for one zone to have 7 states,
other four have 6 states each while only the South East has just 5
states. This has put the zone in a big disadvantaged position already,
for years! It has less allocation, less development, less voice in the
national assembly and other national life. It needs to be redressed
first.
CHRIS KATO, member representing Anambra East/West Federal Constituency:
It was very peaceful and all sectors and interest groups actively
participated. Issues generally agreed upon include the need to have
equal number of states in each geo-political zone. We were also
unanimous on the need to scrap the state electoral commissions so that
INEC conducts all elections across the country at appointed time, with
specified tenure for all councils. The people also agreed on the
rotation of Presidency/Governor among the constituting zones to ensure
fairness and eliminate tension.
The session chairman, Senator Emma Anosike noted that the event was a
beautiful effort to extend the involvement and participation of
Nigerians in the formulation of the people’s constitution. The
participants that cut across all spheres of life urged for more such
opportunities for the masses to participate actively in some nagging
national question. They saw it as rewarding and appreciated.
Hon Victor Afam Ogene(member representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency)
described the public hearing as novel, as it was answer to the
yearnings of Nigerians to take their destiny in their hands. To him,
“With its popularity and the mass participation, the nation could be
said to be on the great highway to authoring a people constitution for
the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The 1999 Constitution has a preamble saying, ‘we, the people of
Nigeria…’, but we all know the people had never participated in any
body codified as Constitution. So with what now took place across the
360 federal constituencies the people came together to talk about
issues, express their opinions as to what they want modified, expunged
and retained. For example, the Ogbaru people insisted there is need
for one more state to be created in the South East to bring it at par
with majority of the other geo-political zones in the country, for
fairness and equity.
Ogene admitted that outside the template by the national Assembly, the
people vehemently canvassed for a federal government grant for
agriculture so as to boost food production, as currently done in some
countries. They want it entrenched in the constitution that anyone
involved in agriculture will get the grant to ensure the nation feeds
itself.
