…says power should be devolved
…more money for states
Power must be devolved to states to make the centre less attractive, All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole said last night.
He said the revenue sharing formula should be reviewed in favour of states.
Besides, most items in the Concurrent and Exclusive Legislative Lists, such as roads and power, should be left to states.
Oshiomhole, who spoke on Channels, believed that more resources should be given to states to strengthen them.
He said: “We must restructure our revenue allocation, the Concurrent and the Exclusive lists. The power at the centre is too huge to the extent that it is easier to clampdown on governors than the President.
“No President of our country has been interrogated for corruption. Are we saying they were all saints?”
He called for the liberalisation of the power sector, saying that states should generate and distribute electricity without recourse to the Federal Government.
He chided those calling for restructuring, describing them as opportunists.
According to him, the old generation should not be seen participating in the discussion for restructuring.
He alleged that the old generation created confusion in the system.
“Those who shout restructuring have no suggestions on the table to let us understand their idea of restructuring. We need to be more constructive in tackling our challenges.
“They are coming up with all sorts of artificial devices. The future generation should be the ones discussing restructuring because they are going to live with the outcome in the future,” he said.
On insecurity, Oshiomhole called for a national conversation, which he said experts should anchor rather than those with vested interests.
He said: “Ethnic champions approached everything with ethnic colouration. We have lost our dignified ways of doing things. We can do a lot more to revisit our core values. We should avoid introducing politics into crime-fighting.”
On minimum wage, the former Edo State governor said nothing is stopping states from negotiating their minimum wage without waiting for the Federal Government.
Oshiomhole said he increased the minimum wage of Edo workers above what the Federal Government was paying without waiting for the Federal Government.
He said there was a misconception about what the minimum wage is about.
According to him, it is not going to be paid by the government.
“Government should pay over and above the minimum wage. The legislation on it is to assist those who are in the private sector and are unfortunate to negotiate their salaries due to the inhuman nature of their employers,” he said.
Minimum wage, he added, should not be about the number of employees rather the cost of living.
“If you are paying a wage that is far below the cost of living, you are going to kill those workers. More so, who determines the number of workers the states should employ? People must be paid a living wage, not just salaries,” he said.
The APC national chairman chided those who said they uncovered ghost workers without prosecuting anyone.
“I am always sad when I hear ghost workers were discovered and that the state was saved millions of naira and no one has been taking to the police.
“Whoever discovered the ghost workers has a further story to tell Nigerians because the fund stolen through that dubious means have to be recovered and accounted for. Those found culpable must be prosecuted,” he said.
