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Federal Government Too Big, We Must Adjust It – Ekweremadu - Politics - Nairaland

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Federal Government Too Big, We Must Adjust It – Ekweremadu by Aonkuuse(m): 6:45am On Jun 20, 2017
The Deputy President of the Senate, Chief Ike Ekweremadu, says the functions of the Federal Government as currently constituted is too big and should be adjusted.

He made this assertion in Abuja on Monday during an interview with newsmen.

Ekweremadu said that the Federal Government as currently constituted was too large and difficult to operate.

According to him, the states have little roles to perform whereas the Federal Government is overburdened with responsibilities.

“We believe that the Federal Government as presently constituted is too big and we need to adjust it.

“In a situation where you have in the concurrent list only about 16 items, most of the other things are in the exclusive list.

“It doesn’t make sense, so we need to find a way of trimming the Federal Government to the benefit of the component states.

“So that some of these issues don’t become federal issues and that is the idea of federalism.

“We are looking at that, things like arbitration, agriculture, environment and such issues. Some of these things should go to the concurrent list and even the Police,” he said.

The deputy president of the Senate noted that the solution to Nigeria’s security situation was the decentralisation of the Police and allowing state governments to have their police.

He pointed out that each state varied in the kind of security challenges and the kind of policing required.

On the fear that state government could hijack the force in their states, he said that there should be a commission to oversee the state police just like the National Judicial Council (NJC) oversees the judiciary.

“We cannot decentralise the police now because some people are still opposed to it.

“But I think it is beginning to make sense that you cannot be able to deal with our security situation in Nigeria except we change our security architecture.

“There is no place in this world where a federal system has a unitary type of policing which we have now.

“This is why we will continue to get it wrong in solving our security problems.

“It is not going to work until we change the architecture of our policing: a federal state as big as Nigeria must have to adopt a decentralised police.

“But we need to first take Nigerians to the level where they will understand this,’’ he said.

Also, Ekwerenmadu said that local governments should also be given some level of autonomy so that they too could perform their functions.

He said the reason for scrapping local governments’ account and merging it with state governments was that the states could contribute some money to what the local governments receive from federation accounts.

“We need to create some level of independence for the local governments, especially in the area of funding.

“We can look at section 162 of the constitution where the issue of withdrawing the local government account was created.

“So I believe that if that is abrogated, local government can now get their funds directly. It is not as if we are trying to create something new.

“I was a Local Government Chairman in 1997 and we were getting our funds directly from the Federal Government.

“So, we want to give the local government that level of autonomy so that they are able to perform their constitutional responsibilities,” Ekweremadu said.

Source: https://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2017/06/19/federal-government-big-must-adjust-ekweremadu/

13 Likes 2 Shares

Re: Federal Government Too Big, We Must Adjust It – Ekweremadu by NwaAmaikpe: 6:45am On Jun 20, 2017
shocked


I want the Arabic on the Nigerian Army logo removed,
I want the reintroduction of CRK to our school's curriculum,
I want the herdsmen sent back to the North.


This country does not belong to the Muslims, neither does it belong to the North.
It belongs to all of us, so if all of us can't have it, give us Biafra.

106 Likes 7 Shares

Re: Federal Government Too Big, We Must Adjust It – Ekweremadu by benedictnsi(m): 6:47am On Jun 20, 2017
if to rule Don tire una.... make una give people like ME chance biko

2 Likes

Re: Federal Government Too Big, We Must Adjust It – Ekweremadu by Nobody: 6:48am On Jun 20, 2017
I agree with you sir!!!!

18 Likes

Re: Federal Government Too Big, We Must Adjust It – Ekweremadu by smartty68(m): 6:56am On Jun 20, 2017
Ok! I quite agree with your assertions... Federalism? Yes, its a welcome idea...

5 Likes

Re: Federal Government Too Big, We Must Adjust It – Ekweremadu by dealslip(f): 7:00am On Jun 20, 2017
He is right on this one.

8 Likes 1 Share

Re: Federal Government Too Big, We Must Adjust It – Ekweremadu by Prince081: 7:02am On Jun 20, 2017
On point Sir.

1 Like

Re: Federal Government Too Big, We Must Adjust It – Ekweremadu by SoNature(m): 7:03am On Jun 20, 2017
"On the fear that state government could hijack the force in their states, he said that there should be a commission to oversee the state police just like the National Judicial Council (NJC) oversees the judiciary."

I like this explanation, and I'm particularly glad these men have these things all figured out.

The truth is, Nigeria should be restructured in a way that state governments are able to harness natural resources in their domains. The idea of regional government may not work because of cultural differences.

Let's stop running round and round a cycle, thinking we are growing. The earlier the better. We can't continue to do things the same way and be expecting a different result.

11 Likes 1 Share

Re: Federal Government Too Big, We Must Adjust It – Ekweremadu by yemmit90: 7:07am On Jun 20, 2017
Extraction of natural resources, Security(Law enforcement agents), Generation of power should be concurrent list.

Besides, Agriculture, Commerce and industries, Sport, Communication should be left entirely in the hands of Private, State or regional governments.

6 Likes

Re: Federal Government Too Big, We Must Adjust It – Ekweremadu by Freemancipation: 7:09am On Jun 20, 2017
They know the solution to Nigerias problem but have refused to do anything because the status quo is very lucrative business venture.

29 Likes 1 Share

Re: Federal Government Too Big, We Must Adjust It – Ekweremadu by wristbangle: 7:19am On Jun 20, 2017
I am indifferent to the Idea of police to be handle by state government base on the structure of things in the country. Though the system works fine in US, UK and other developed countries but how effective will it be in Nigeria?

Other points made by deputy senate president is right on course which they know federalism will relief and solve the system complexity but the current status quo is well beneficial to them

3 Likes 1 Share

Re: Federal Government Too Big, We Must Adjust It – Ekweremadu by Ehiscotch(m): 7:23am On Jun 20, 2017
He should just have summarised it to one word : Restructuring.

7 Likes

Re: Federal Government Too Big, We Must Adjust It – Ekweremadu by Chiefly(m): 8:30am On Jun 20, 2017
True!! the center can no longer hold!

2 Likes

Re: Federal Government Too Big, We Must Adjust It – Ekweremadu by brunofarad(m): 8:30am On Jun 20, 2017
Just say restructure

2 Likes

Re: Federal Government Too Big, We Must Adjust It – Ekweremadu by Lescalier: 8:30am On Jun 20, 2017
Give saraki sme
Re: Federal Government Too Big, We Must Adjust It – Ekweremadu by Nobody: 8:31am On Jun 20, 2017
Restructuring
Re: Federal Government Too Big, We Must Adjust It – Ekweremadu by teamsynergy: 8:31am On Jun 20, 2017
now these people are seeing things properly...
with the fxns of our fg, the state govt and lg are like ceremonious positions. fg does virtually everything... decentralize power, but this is going to meet a serious resistance by the power drunk fg and lazy state govts

2 Likes

Re: Federal Government Too Big, We Must Adjust It – Ekweremadu by seXytOhbAd(m): 8:32am On Jun 20, 2017
HMMMMM.... This is a very bad idea. If it was a country where the interests of its citizens had priority then perhaps, yes it would have been a great idea, but this is Nigeria. Northern states may all together scrap their justice system including the police, and opt for a sharia only justice system. Poor and bedridden states like Ebonyi, Taraba and Ekiti may go back to using their police force as a revenue machine through setting up of semi legal "toll gates". Yes, sports, agriculture and mining should be left to the states as a source of revenue, but don't jeopardize the security of citizens for any reason, especially not when these bloodthirsty northern yutes (youths) are now getting agitated.

1 Like

Re: Federal Government Too Big, We Must Adjust It – Ekweremadu by Nobody: 8:32am On Jun 20, 2017
wristbangle:
I am indifferent to the Idea of police to be handle by state government base on the structure of things in the country. Though the system works fine in US, UK and other developed countries but how effective will it be in Nigeria?

Other points made by deputy senate president is right on course which they know federalism will relief and solve the system complexity but the current status quo is well beneficial to them
Gbam. Let there be restructuring

1 Like

Re: Federal Government Too Big, We Must Adjust It – Ekweremadu by Ratello: 8:32am On Jun 20, 2017
This is what an average funky Mallam up North hates to hear......Buhari will be crying inside on hearing this now. Long overdue

5 Likes

Re: Federal Government Too Big, We Must Adjust It – Ekweremadu by Ofemmanu1: 8:33am On Jun 20, 2017
Blaming it on "too biG"

Awon weYrey.

1 Like

Re: Federal Government Too Big, We Must Adjust It – Ekweremadu by Slai1: 8:33am On Jun 20, 2017
Ah!

Well spoken, distinguished Deputy Senate President.

Tinker on the constitution and other relevant statutes and cause those to be reflected.

Any Nigerian opposed to those are doing so to romance their selfishness.

1 Like

Re: Federal Government Too Big, We Must Adjust It – Ekweremadu by ofiliganga(m): 8:35am On Jun 20, 2017
This is an emergency [color=#990000][/color]

1 Like

Re: Federal Government Too Big, We Must Adjust It – Ekweremadu by AntiWailer: 8:35am On Jun 20, 2017
Very Valid Point.

I wish this is said at all times not only when they are in opposition.
Re: Federal Government Too Big, We Must Adjust It – Ekweremadu by VanBommel(m): 8:35am On Jun 20, 2017
So this sleeping senator have sense like this?
Re: Federal Government Too Big, We Must Adjust It – Ekweremadu by lonelydora: 8:36am On Jun 20, 2017
Ekweremmadu, all we need you to do is to push the referendum for us. Stopping barking.

4 Likes

Re: Federal Government Too Big, We Must Adjust It – Ekweremadu by auntysimbiat(f): 8:36am On Jun 20, 2017
na xo
Re: Federal Government Too Big, We Must Adjust It – Ekweremadu by elmessiahs(m): 8:37am On Jun 20, 2017
Gov wike on rythm fm said dat there ar pple benefitin from several agitations in nigeria,i agree with him 100.10%; we just nid restructuring to true federalism notin more
Re: Federal Government Too Big, We Must Adjust It – Ekweremadu by Blackfire(m): 8:37am On Jun 20, 2017
Even our legislative house is too big.

2 Likes

Re: Federal Government Too Big, We Must Adjust It – Ekweremadu by Prinxxdave: 8:37am On Jun 20, 2017
*BREAKING NEWS* I'm selling pregnancy test machine that shows the name of the father. Contact me if you're interested!!

2 Likes

Re: Federal Government Too Big, We Must Adjust It – Ekweremadu by martooski(m): 8:39am On Jun 20, 2017
N

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