the creation of states was less cumbersome in the past because the exercise was based on military fiat. The whims and caprices of the military oligarchy determined the beneficiaries, especially among the power brokers within the military establishment and their civilian collaborators. The restoration of civil rule has raised the bar with the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution as the cardinal pillars. However, since 1999, agitations for more states have been hinged on access to the proverbial national cake. Some sections believed they were being short-changed because of not having their representatives at the sharing table, in spite of contributing so much than other stakeholders to the commonwealth. Related to that factor is the issue of fear minority of domination by the majority tribes; search for equity, quest for political empires and influence and pretentious search for development Applications Before the joint committees of the National Assembly on the Review of the 1999 Constitution are 57 requests for new states. The requests are based on no fewer than 231 memoranda submitted by different stakeholders in the Nigerian project, with some of them anchored on the need for equity, justice, and accelerated development. Aside from the Public Hearing conducted across the zones on the issue, the President of the Senate, David Mark, had for the umpteenth time declared that the National Assembly would create new states in this dispensation. Incidentally, some stakeholders from his state, Benue are seeking the creation of Apa State. At the Ojude Oba Festival in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, sometime ago, Mark had promised that the National Assembly would consider the request for more states in spite of the misgivings in certain quarters on the matter. He said, “Creation of additional states can only bring government closer to the people contrary to the view being expressed in certain quarters that we do not need additional states in the federation.” Financial strait Before then, another lawmaker, Senator Olubunmi Adetumbi had however raised the alarm on the state of near insolvency of most of the existing states. He said a lot of them were being bugged don by unsustainable high work force that had not translate into improved service delivery to the people. His words, “In most states, the private sector is weak and unable to generate economic growth and jobs that are required, thereby making the states and local governments the largest employers of labour with attendant fiscal imbalance. The bulk of the revenue of these states is currently financial pay roll of the civil service which constitutes less than four per cent of the total population in all states. Under this development, six states are approaching distress. Kano will spend 127 per cent, Sokoto 62 per cent, Niger 56 per cent, Zamfara 54 per cent, Katsina, 50 per cent, Osun, 50 per cent of their gross annual revenue on civil service personnel.” He further buttressed his assertion on the fact that most of the states now rush to the capital market to raise long term bonds to finance development projects. Some of the states were said to be financially distressed, which necessitated the Senate the calling for emergency aid from the centre. For example, Kano, Sokoto, Niger, Zamfara, Katsina, and Osun were categorised as distressed, while those in critical conditions were Ekiti, Plateau, Benue, Edo, Borno, Adamawa, Cross River, Enugu, Taraba, Ogun, Kogi, Yobe, Ebonyi, Ondo and Kaduna. The ones said to be unhealthy were Bauchi, Bayelsa, Nasarawa, Gombe, Rivers and Oyo. Those that are tolerable are Imo, Kwara, Lagos, kebbbi, and Delta. Healthy ones are Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra and Jigawa.
Posted on: Sat, 08 Jun 2013 07:35:23 +0000