Nigeria’s Structure, Defective – Senator Abe

Senator Magnus Abe, representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, says the present structure of Nigeria is defective as a result of its unitary nature that leaves the federal government totally in control of every aspect of the economy.

To this end, he advocated a proactive system where the Federal Government would relinquish a number of its powers to the state and local governments.

According to Senator Abe who made the assertion in a chat with newsmen, “the federal government must dismantle her excess powers of dealing and sharing resources and concentrate on supervising for efficiency”.

“We should go back to the practice of true federalism where the component states and local governments will have more powers to decide what to do in issues that affect the people they are governing since they are closer to the people rather than a person who stays in Abuja and makes decision for a place he has never been to”.

The Senate Committee Chairman on Petroleum (Downstream) said Government should create a production system where private individuals would become self sustaining, pointing out that the economy would be competitive and productive if this was done.

“If the private persons who know how to do business take over certain key sectors, efficiency will be enhanced, people will make more money, more jobs will be created and we will experience incremental growth in the economy”.

Senator Abe who is also a member of the Senate Committees on MDGs, INEC, Capital Market, National ID and National Population as well as National Intelligence and Security sued for the provision of basic amenities. “When this is done, the people’s psychology of expecting from the Federal Government always will change”, he said.

On petroleum subsidy, he advised Nigerians to demand for variables that would improve the quality of lives rather than trivialize the issue of subsidy, insisting that the people should reject processes that will encourage waste.

On security, the one time Secretary to the Rivers State Government recommended Governor Chibuike Amaechi’s approach of encouraging education describing it as the key to manpower development which according to him was an antidote to social vices.