NEWS
Incessant Constitution Amendment is Ridiculous – Former Governor Warns
Former Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime, has cautioned against incessant amendments of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria saying that such act defaces its original character.
Chime made the call in an interview while reacting to the 25th Democracy Day Celebration on Tuesday in Enugu.
He said that the constitution should be a sacred document and not something that could be amended anyhow.
“Since 25 years of democracy, how many times have they amended Nigeria constitution, making it so ridiculous.
The more amendment they make, the more problem they create. Let’s take the constitution seriously.“I remember when we came in, governorship election cases used to terminate at the Court of Appeal but now it gets to Supreme Court because of amendments,” he said.
Chime however, advised the federal government and the National Assembly to be careful with the manner and way they amended the country’s constitution, noting that they had completely defaced the original character of the constitution.
The former governor, who is also a constitutional lawyer, also decried how Nigerians including its governments were segregating one another based on their state of origin, religion and sex.
According to him, this is unconstitutional and the constitution does not allow it because we are one Nigeria.
“Someone would fill a form and would be asked to fill his or her state of origin when he or she is a Nigerian.
“It is sad that when we talk about South-East and referring to Igbos, Southwest, Yorubas and North, Hausas. Zones were created for administrative purposes.
“It shouldn’t be so. May God bless Nigeria for reversing back to our old National Anthem that sees us as brothers.
“We are barred from the constitution from discriminating against any Nigerian on certain grounds, including where the person is from, circumstances of birth, religion, sex and others.
“But unfortunately, the governments are championing this discrimination. This is why we still have the clamour for creation of states and autonomous communities,” he said.
He explained that South-East, South- South and south-West and the North were created for administrative purposes, stressing that it had nothing to do with where one was born or who someone’s father was.
“If you are a Nigerian, you are a Nigerian. Don’t keep telling me that I am an Igbo, he is a Hausa or Yoruba.
“The National Assembly should make a law criminalizing violation of these provisions with stiff punishments,” he said.
He explained that those rights were under the constitution but were not justiciable, meaning that one could not go to court to challenge any government or individual based on it.
According to him, the barriers should be removed and make those rights justiciable as well as court delving into such matters.
“All these shouldn’t play any role in governance and government should be interested to where citizens were born or their place of residence while the federal character system should base on where one stays.
On security, Chime called for the removal of roadblocks by security agencies especially the military, on the nation’s highways and wondered what they were doing blocking the roads.
“How can government be building roads and the next thing you see security men blocking it with bags of sands. If you remove these people from the road, we will have peace without roadblocks.
“I can’t remember when any kidnapper is being arrested at check point but on the contrary we have heard of people trying to pay ransome beside check points,” he said.
He, however, called for the introduction of city and highway patrol vehicles, arguing that with it, kidnappers would disappear from Nigeria roads.
On the clamour for State Police, the former governor said that it would not work because states could not afford it.
”State governments should work with the police and provide resources for them. We don’t wait for the Federal Government to provide everything to sustain them.
“Under the law, the Commissioner of Police reports to the governor who is the Chief Security Officer of the state. As a governor, if you are having issues with the police commissioner, you call for a change with genuine reasons,”.
On democracy day, the former governor said that June 12 was the appropriate date to celebrate the day pointing out that not all states were inaugurated on May 29.
Chime congratulated President Bola Tinubu and Nigerians on the celebration of uninterrupted 25 years democracy and urged the citizenry to support the president on his people oriented programmes and policies.
“We are one Nigeria. Nigeria we hail thee,” Chime concluded. (NAN)
Niger Government has established the state Price Control and Monitoring Board, approved by Gov. Umaru Bago to ensure fair pricing and consumer protection.
Alh. Abubakar Usman, Secretary to the Niger Government (SSG), inaugurated members of the board on Thursday in Minna.
The eight-member board has Alh.
Hussaini Ahmed, a former Permanent Secretary as the chairman.Usman noted that the inauguration of the board marked a significant step in the state’s commitment to ensuring fair pricing and consumer protection.
He said that the board was expected to control and stabilise prices of essential commodities and eradicate or reduce to the barest minimum, hoarding of essential commodities across the state.
He said that board would also handle issues that may arise as a result of enforcement and penalty for contravention of guidelines among several others.
“The board will be responsible for the distribution, monitoring and evaluation of essential commodities and keep price under continuous surveillance.
“They will also interpret price movement and relate them to other development in the State’s economy,” Usman said.
He said the board was expected to interface with relevant stakeholders such as local government chairmen, traditional institutions and councilors and well as market organisations to ensure the success of their mandate.
The SSG enjoined members of board to bring their wealth of experience and expertise in economics, consumer affairs and market dynamics to bear in their assignment.
He said that their appointment underscored the government’s dedication to maintaining economic stability and safeguarding the interests of both consumers and businesses in the state.
In his remarks, the board chairman, Ahmed, assured that the board would interface with relevant stakeholders within and outside the state in order to bring succour to the populace.
Other members of the board include Hamza Bello, Permanent Secretary, Investment, Aliyu Abubakar, Permanent Secretary, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and Garba Abdullahi, from Ministry of Basic Education.
Also on the board are Adamu Maikasuwa, Ministry of Agriculture, DCP Aminu Garba, Nigeria Police, Niger Command, Aminu Ladan, Chairman, Chanchaga Local Government Area and Usman Liman, retired Statistician-General as Secretary of the Board. (NAN)
The Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC), has shared N1.298 trillion among the Federal Government, states, and the Local Government Councils (LGCs) for September.
This is according to a communique issued at the end of FAAC meeting for October held on Thursday in Abuja.
The communiqué was made available to newsmen by Bawa Mokwa, the Director, Press and Public Relations, Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation (OAGF).
According to the communiqué, N1.
298 trillion total distributable revenue comprised distributable statutory revenue of N124.716 billion, and distributable Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue of N543.518 billion.It also comprised Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL) revenue of N18.
445 billion, Exchange Difference revenue of N462.191 billion and Augmentation of N150.000 billion.It said that a total revenue of N2.258 trillion was available in the month of September.
“Total deduction for cost of collection was N80.993 billion, while total transfers, interventions and refunds was N878.946 billion,” it said.
According to the communiqué, gross statutory revenue of N1.043 trillion was received in September 2024, which was lower than the sum of N1.221 trillion received in August by N177.426 billion.
It said that gross revenue of N583.675 billion was available from VAT in September, higher than the N573.341 billion available in the month of August by N10.334 billion.
“From the N1.298 trillion total distributable revenue, the Federal Government received a total sum of N424.867 billion, and the state governments received a total sum of N453.724 billion.
“The LGCs received a total sum of N329.864 billion and a total sum of N90.415 billion (13 per cent of mineral revenue) was shared to the benefiting states as derivation revenue,” it said.
On the N124.716 billion statutory revenue, the communiqué said that the Federal Government received N43.037 billion and the state governments received N21.829 billion, while the LGCs received N16.829 billion.
It said that the sum of N43.021 billion (13 per cent of mineral revenue) was shared to the benefiting states as derivation revenue.
“From the N543.518 billion VAT revenue, the Federal Government received N81.528 billion, the state governments received N271.759 billion and the LGCs received N190.231 billion,” it said.
It said that in September, Oil and Gas Royalty, Excise Duty, EMTL and CET Levies increased considerably while VAT and Import Duty increased marginally.
It added that Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT), Companies Income Tax (CIT) and others recorded significant decreases. (NAN)
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has reiterated the importance of strict adherence to traffic laws, emphasising the prohibition of commercial motorcycles on highways and other restricted routes.
Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, the General Manager, said this in a statement on Thursday, signed by Mr Taofiq Adebayo, Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, LASTMA.
Bakare-Oki said that non-compliance with the regulations not only jeopardised the safety of the riders but also endangered the lives of other road users.
The statement came following the death of a motorcycle rider going against traffic on Carter Bridge, due to a collision with a fast-moving vehicle.
Bakare-Oki noted that the deceased, reportedly traveling from Ebute Ero, collided head-on with a fast-moving vehicle as it ascended Carter Bridge from Ilubirin.
“The forceful impact of the collision led to the immediate death of the motorcyclist while the vehicle driver ran away.
“Personnel from the LASTMA promptly arrived at the scene of the accident and swiftly alerted officers from the Central Police Station at Adeniji Adele and Shemo.
“Together, they coordinated efforts to retrieve the lifeless body of the rider, while LASTMA officials handed over the motorcycle to security authorities for further investigation,” he said.
The LASTMA boss extended his heartfelt sympathy to the family of the deceased.
“LASTMA remains committed to upholding public safety and is intensifying its efforts to minimise the occurrence of such tragic incidents on Lagos roads,” he said. (NAN)
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