Why States Must Have More Powers – Osinbajo 


Says we must strengthen states for a more productive nation
*Calls for devolution of more power to States enables them to control more of their resources
*VP advocates for States & community police forces, correctional facilities, special courts

Nigeria can become a stronger and more prosperous nation if states have more powers, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

Prof. Osinbajo stated this while speaking at the 59th Independence Anniversary Lecture at the Island Club, Lagos, on Friday.

The Vice President, who titled his lecture “the whole is only as great as the sum of its parts,” said Nigeria’s population and diverse ethnic groups has necessitated that states in the country be strengthened to enable them contribute more to national productivity and development.

Prof. Osinbajo stated that this can be achieved with “stronger, more autonomous States that are able to generate and control more of their resources.”

According to the Vice President, the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is ensuring that states collaborate more with the Federal Government on different initiatives to improve visionary governance in the country.

“The most important transformative change we can make in Nigeria is to lift the majority of our people out of deprivation by speedily creating wealth and opportunity leading to the eradication of poverty,” he said.

He further said that “The nation cannot be wealthy when its component parts – the states – are poor. The standard of living of the federation depends on the standard of living of people who live in the states. In other words, the federation can only be as rich as its richest state and as strong as its strongest state.

“Our national indices merely aggregate the realities of our weaknesses and strengths as present in all our constituent units. Consequently, we can only build a stronger and more prosperous nation by building stronger and more prosperous states.”

He said, “Building stronger states means ensuring the devolution of more power to the states, enabling them to control more of their resources and make more of their own administrative decisions such as the creation of Local Governments, the establishment of state and community police forces as well as state correctional facilities; creation of special courts and tribunals of equivalent jurisdiction to high courts. The point I am making is that states must have more powers and more rights.”

The Vice President stated that, “The challenges confronting us now are about strengthening internal coherence and cohesion. It is about moving from affirmations of unity to the achievement of synergy in which the sum of our strengths exceeds the totality of our constituent parts.”

He noted that, “Opportunities for smart and visionary governance abound. So, for example, while states may not be able to right now establish their police forces, they can collaborate with the federal government on initiatives such as community policing which also revolves around the idea of localized law enforcement. Our administration is currently pursuing this option. When we set our minds to solving problems, we will find that what is truly possible is not as distant from the ideal that we seek.

Seun, Lalasticlala, Mynd44, OAM4J

I said it, nobody can silence this man from shining. Go prof

By creating more power in the States make them stronger, reliable and prosperous and also they can stand on their own that is self reliance

Having read much of what Prof. Soludo said at PLATFORM on October 1, I am highly hopeful that if President Buhari along with his VP adopt revolutionary mindset in working with Economic Advisory Council with, Nigeria economy is likely to explode with the 36 states and FCT becoming prosperous, which will ultimately rub off on the citizens.

However, from the extent of corruption happening now, achieving prosperity would require tighter anti-corruption laws and regulations especially for governors.

He's advocating like they ain't the ones in power.

okefranci:
By creating more power in the States make them stronger, reliable and prosperous and also they can stand on their own that is self reliance

I like the idea as well. Me I'm just imagining what yahaya Bello will do with such Power

gaetano:
I like the idea as well. Me I'm just imagining what yahaya Bello will do with such Power

That's why it's important not to elect dumb yes men to state house of assembly. If they did their jobs governors wouldn't run wild.

This is the main reason the presidency wants him out.

Hope he got permission from Kyari before saying dis? Before tomoro we hear his office has been moved from Aso Rock to Olumo Rock