Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, yesterday reiterated the need for devolution of power from the centre to states and local government councils to ensure good governance.
The governor, who stated this yesterday when he received the 30-member Committee on True Federalism at the Government House in Kano, said devolution would not only reduce dependence on the centre but ensure grassroots development.
Ganduje, who said true federalism must be debated at the regional and state levels, had set up the committee was set up by the state government to project the views of Kano in the ongoing debate on true federalism and restructuring.
“So, we found it imperative to bring this issue so that it can be debated at national and regional levels and I am aware that the Northern Governors’ Forum constituted a similar committee which has been working.
We also have a similar committee at the party level.
And now in our own case, we have it at the state level.
“However, in democracy, it is a very important issue.
It should not be an issue that somebody will be annoyed with.
It is an issue that we should welcome because democracyis dynamic.
“Along the way, we will see how we can refine the system.
There is no doubt that the federal government, being an off shoot of military, because the presidential system was brought by the military even though civilians were there.
“But it was off course, under the guide of the federal government which by then, was a military government.
So, you can see that from time to time, we can see how we can make some adjustment in our constitution.
“There is no doubt that the federal government has the element of unitary system because the military itself was a unitary system.
So the child that came from the military must also have some features of unitary system.
” “That was why the federal government became so bogus, the federal government became so strong in terms of responsibilities and in terms of revenue of the country itself–so that one on itself needs to be revisited.
“There is need to review the constitution for devolution of powers from federal to state government and from state to the local governments.
” Briefing the governor on the workings of the Committee, its chairman, Dr. Sule Yahaya Hamma, said the committee, which has met 24 times since its inauguration in November, 2017, held meetings with the Emir of Kano, other traditional rulers, religious leaders, Islamic scholars, market women, students’ union, civil society organizations and other relevant agencies whose contributions formed part of its recommendations.
