Constitution Review: Borno rejects States, LGs creation, says No to community Policing

The Borno State Government has rejected the call for more states and local government creation, also, saying no to community policing as agitated by some quarters on the ongoing House of Representatives Committee on review of the 1999 constitution.

The State Government at its Bauchi Zonal hearing led by Aminu Suleiman from Kano Sate, Borno, one of the states that made up the zone, incuding Bauchi and Yobe, told the committee that the insurrection in the country today will not allow for state and local government creation.

Governor Zulum of Borno State, represented by Deputy Speaker, House of Assembly,

Abdullahi Askira said the government of the state is not in support of states and local governments’ creation for economic reasons.

“We are not in support of states’ and local governments’ creation for now because of the economic situation in which the country finds itself today, amidst COVID-19 pandemic and insecurity challenges through the decade.”

Askira also said his state is not in support of extending immunity to presiding officers of the national assembly and judicial officers.

“We don’t support inclussion of provision for independent candidature and diaspora voting in the Constitution due to lack of accurate  statistical data and fear of manipulation of electoral act,” he noted.

The state recommends for existing provisions in the constitution electoral Act to be retained, recommending local government autonomy administration be fully provided for in the constitution and financial uniformity, also, uniformity of tenure of local government councils in the country.

The state believes that the country is not ripe for state police so, the status quo should be maintained.

However, it recommeds indigenship and resident retainership citizenship by marriage as earlier provided in the 1999 constitution, as ammended.

The state also recommends Human Rights and gender equity, increase participation of women and the volnerable groups.

Further butressing his points, the deputy speaker said the existing provision in the constitution as it relates to financial independence of the judiciary must be retained.

He recommends that the chief registrar of the state judiciary and clerks of the state assembly who are accounting officers of these arms of government be the persons mandated to effect payment and and receive funding on behalf of the two arms of government.

The state is therefore, of the view that,  if these recommendations are factored into the constitution, it will bring much  desired result, adding; “will enhence good governance, peace and development at all levels.”

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.