No Going Back On Resource Control, Fiscal Federalism – Odili

Former Rivers State Gover
nor, Dr Peter Odili and delegate to the ongoing National Conference in Abuja, has said that the stand of the state and indeed, the South-South geo-political zone on resource control and fiscal federalism remain unshakable, as they’re resolute to pursue the agenda to its logical conclusion at the confab.
Speaking in an interview with The Tide shortly after the Committee on Political Re-structuring and Forms of Government endorsed true federalism for the nation, the former governor who is a member of the committee said the committee’s recommendation of true federalism  was best for Nigeria, adding that the committee was conscious of dissenting voices at the confab, but would equally rise to the occasion at plenary when the report will be presented.
According to Odili, “true federalism has its own implications. Now, we’re looking towards the conference to decide on the committee’s report; we’ll have a situation in which states generate  their resources and contribute to the central revenue.
‘’The implication is that issues like resource control will take its pride of place, a situation whereby states are rushing to Abuja and collecting  money every month will be a thing of the past. You’ll now have a situation that states will own their resources and generate them from whatever source, then pay an agreed tax to the centre – that’s fiscal federalism, that’s what we are looking forward to’’.
Describing the recommendation as an achievement; the two-term former governor  of Rivers State said,”  …What I can say we have achieved is that the committee has agreed that we are going to get true federalism, where you have centre as the federal government and may be, have states as federating units’’.
Dr. Odili explained that true federalism should be based on “ two-tiers of government -the federal, and states as federating units. That way, you’ll have clearly defined true federal structure that appeases and satisfies all interests.’’

Justus Unye-Awaji, Abuja

Rivers State Deputy Governor Tele Ikuru, congratulating the newly elected State Chairman, APC, Rivers State, Chief Davies Ikanya, recently.