Contd from yesterday....... The conference voted that states should own their own constitutions while the functions of local governments as contained in schedule 4 of the 1999 constitution (as amended) has been transferred to the states, subject to the power of the state Houses of Assembly to add or reduce the said functions of the local governments. Conference voted against the local government as a different tier of government, saying that the House of Assembly of a state may confer other functions on local government and agreed that the constitution shall fix the tenures for local government councils. Delegates approved the scrapping of joint state and local government accounts, to be replaced with a State Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, adding that the body would be expected to have as members, representatives of local government areas and a chairman nominated by the state governor for confirmation by the state House of Assembly. In addition to the functions conferred on the local government councils as specified in the Fourth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution as amended, a state House of Assembly may by law, confer other functions on the local government. Henceforth, and except otherwise overturned, conference also conferred financial autonomy on state Houses of Assembly as a way of freeing them from direct control by the executive and voted that for functionality, local government should be politically and economically independent. The report recommended that there should be complete abolition of the concept of plea bargain by accused public functionaries and also agreed for the establishment of special courts, for instance, anti-corruption courts to handle cases involving corrupt practices. Also in the report, henceforth, anybody arraigned before the court by EFCC, ICPC and by any law enforcement agencies, is regarded as guilty, unlike the present situation where he is regarded as innocent until the accused is proven not guilty. Now he is regarded as guilty until he is proven innocent. The issue of state police as controversial as it appeared, a decision was taken that those who want it should go and have state police, but those who do not want it, the recommendation of the conference was that the present status of the Nigerian police should remain. But from ASP downwards should be indigenes of every state and that on its own, is like state police. Henceforth, there will be no sponsoring of both Christian and Muslim pilgrimages to the holy lands and that churches and mosques will now pay tax to the Federal Government. It was agreed that payment of pension, severance, life insurance for legislators at all levels be cancelled and according to the delegates, same would apply to governors and their deputies, just as lawmakers, governors and their deputies will now receive salaries and allowances commensurate to the functions they perform. Henceforth, civil servants, who engage in contract for pecuniary gains, will be dismissed from service, just as there was the retention of status quo of retirement age of 60 for workers in public service. There was also succour for people living with disabilities as delegates voted that governments at all levels should grant allowances to them which will be equivalent of government workers on grade level 06 as that would enable them employ the services of private aides to assist them in carrying out some private and domestic activities. Sharing of funds to the Federation Account among the three tiers of government should be: Federal Government 42.5%, State governments 35% and Local governments 22.5%. The End:::::::::::::: God Bless Nigeria. @PDefinest.
Posted on: Thu, 28 Aug 2014 06:16:09 +0000
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