IKEOHA ROOTS FOR TRUE FEDERALISM, CALLS FOR RESOURCE CONTROL
*By Chukwuma Okoro Chief Media Officer, EPA for Ikeoha Movement 2023.*
Former Deputy Senate President and senator representing Enugu West Senatorial zone in the Senate, His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Ike Ekweremadu has thrown his full weight behind the quest by some states and well-meaning Nigerians for Nigeria to operate true federalism like some advanced countries especially the United States of America from where Nigeria copied both the presidential and federal systems of government.
Speaking on sundry issues at the interactive weekly radio program *Political Voices in Enugu Dream FM 92.5* on Saturday September 18, 2021 Ekweremadu said it would be appropriate and beneficial in the long run if the states were allowed to control the resources within their jurisdictions. He decried the habit of federating units going to the center to collect monthly allocations which not only stunts the growth of the states but also negates the principle of true federalism.
According to the Senator, states should be allowed to develope the resources within their territories in full and make contributions to the center as it were during the First Republic.
He said all the states had several mineral deposits which would shore up their internally generated revenues if they had the constitutional powers to explore and exploit them.
Ikeoha singled out the agriculture sector as one that has enormous potential to uplift the states financially, reduce youth unemployment, create foreign exchange as well as make the States and Nigeria food self-sufficient and envisioned the creation of agric settlements in Enugu State with full infrastructure like schools, markets, housing estates, churches and malls for ancillary economic activities complementary to the agric sector.
He pointed out that tourism was a major revenue earner for states that had the foresight and will to develope the sector.
On the recent meeting of the South East caucus of the National Assembly which took place in his residence in Abuja, Ikeoha said it became necessary to complement the efforts of South East governors and Ohaneze Ndi Igbo who had harped on the economic losses the sit-at-home had caused the South East. He was thankful to Ndi Igbo for heeding their advice to shelve the sit-at-home exercise as the leadership of Ohaneze Ndi Igbo is currently engaged with the Nigerian state to secure the release of Nnamdi Kanu as well as address those issues that gave rise to separatist agitations across the country.
Ikeoha equally threw his support behind the call for a President of Igbo extraction come 2023 and aligned himself with the Southern Nigeria Governors Forum which has said that the next President of Nigeria must come from the South.
Many callers into the program extolled the leadership and legislative qualities of Ikeoha as exemplary having done a lot for his people especially by attracting roads and other infrastructure to Enugu West Senatorial zone, Enugu State and the South East as well as numerous empowerment programmes.
Ikeoha thanked everyone and asked for patience with political leaders who were working hard to give the people the dividends of democracy and good governance.
*Powered by Hon. Edu Dominion Director General Of EPA/Leader EPA For Ikeoha Movement 2023*
Comments
Post a Comment