Rotimi Akeredolu, governor of Ondo, has asked the federal
government to allow states to fix the salaries and allowances of their public
officials.
Akeredolu spoke on Wednesday at the zonal public hearing on
the review of the 2008 remuneration package for political, public, and judicial
office holders organised by the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal
Commission (RMFAC) in Akure, Ondo capital.
He said the logic of mopping up revenues accruable to states
and local governments into a general pool for the purpose of sharing, in
accordance with some federal government formulas, is “retrogressive”.
Represented by Lucky Aiyedatiwa, his deputy, Akeredolu said
power must devolve to the federating units for the country to lay claims to
being a federal state.
He charged the commission to make conscious efforts to
reduce the overbearing influence of the federal government and its institutions
on the constituent units to encourage development.
Akeredolu said the autonomy of the states has been eroded,
adding that houses of assembly have been relegated to the fringe in the affairs
of their respective states.
The governor, who identified revenue generation as the
bedrock of fiscal policies, urged the federal government to allow local
economies to flourish.
“Let every state
determine the salaries and allowances of its officials. Let the states control
their resources and pay tax to the centre,” he said.
“The appropriation of the sources of wealth of various
states by agencies of the federal government is the fundamental reason for
retardation.
“Our recent pre-independence history, and immediately after
it, depicts the immense potentialities present in the various regions and the
manner through which the political leaders availed themselves of them.
“The level of development attained in all these
semi-autonomous political entities points to the possibilities of attaining
greatness if the current structure is tinkered with to reflect true federalism.
“It is on record that
public officials in the defunct southwestern region were the highest paid in
the country. The visionary leaders ensured that the best were recruited to
serve the people.
“Each region determined, to a very great extent, issues
bordering on effective governance. Development was, therefore, achievable
within a short period. The challenges encountered by the nascent republic led
to crises in different parts of the country, especially the south-west and the
middle belt.
“The incursion of the military into the political affairs of
the country engendered a devastating effect on the country. The promulgation of
decree No. 34 of 1966, which abolished the regions and replaced them with the
so-called provinces, laid the foundation for the erosion of values and
determination to excel through healthy rivalries which existed among them.”
Akeredolu said oil discovery became a curse in Nigeria and
that “only those who benefit from this current dysfunction will want it to
continue”.
“The country
continues to pretend that all is well when it is dithering on the brink of
collapse. All patriots must be resolute in challenging the present structural
defects which stifle growth,” he added.
“The system which allows a very strong central government
and weak dependencies is not capable of development. It will be much more
profitable for the federal government to dissipate less energy in its pursuit
of the misnomer touted as local government autonomy.”
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