The Nation: Jonathan forges ahead with single tenure plan

Jonathan forges ahead with single tenure plan
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Yusuf Alli on 03/08/2011 01:02:00

50 amendments likely in Constitution review Bill

GOVERNORS will soon lose their grip on local governments cash, if the Presidency
succeeds in pushing through a bill to kill the Local Government Joint Account.
The bill will also fix tenure for elected local government officials, contrary
to the situation in various states where two-year and three-year tenure systems
are being operated.
Besides, the Presidency may put on hold the proposed review of the revenue
allocation formula, until the Local Government Reform is carried out and
accepted by the governors.
But, despite public outcry, the Presidency is pushing ahead with its plans for a
single six-year tenure for President, governors and members of the National
Assembly, The Nation learnt yesterday.
The President is said to be leading the consultation team selling the proposal
to Nigerians.
"Even at the government level, there are divergent views. That is why the
President will be consulting many stakeholders and he is going to allow robust
debates on the proposal to guide the National Assembly in its decision," a
source said, adding:
"The draftsmen will revisit some documents, like the Abacha Constitution of
1995, the report of the National Political Reform Conference of 2005 and the
1999 Constitution Citizens’ Forum for Constitution Reform (CFCR), which
prepared a draft Constitution and the Pro-National Conference (PRORONACO)
Peoples Constitution."
President Goodluck Jonathan is considering between 30 to 50 sections of the 1999
Constitution for amendment.
Some of the proposed amendments are:
*six-year single tenure;
*fixed tenure for the 774 local government councils;
*abolition of Joint State-Local Government Account, as applicable in most
states;
*constructive true federalism; and
*removal of prison management from exclusive list to concurrent list.
Although the review of the revenue allocation formula may be part of the
constitution amendment, a source in the Presidency said the proposal would be
after the governors must have endorsed the Local Government Reforms.
The source said: "We are proposing several constitution amendments. It could be
up to 30 or 50. We have a lot to change and the proposal will soon be forwarded
to the National Assembly.
"The President will soon begin consultations with stakeholders on some of these
proposed amendments before sending the Bill to the National Assembly.
"Legal draftsmen are working on the sections to be amended and the details. When
stakeholders make their input, then the Bill will be fine-tuned."
According to the source, "one of the key areas is the local government system,
which has been virtually hijacked and crippled by governors". "Most states
operate different tenure systems for local governments; this is unacceptable,"
he said, adding:
"In fact, it has got to a ridiculous stage that in some states, caretaker
committees are in charge for as long as some governors wish.
"But the most crucial is our plan to effect a constitution amendment that will
lead to the abolition of Joint State-Local Government Account. Nearly all the
governors have abused this account system.
"Security reports have confirmed that funds meant for local governments are
being diverted by governors under the guise of joint account. These local
governments now only manage to pay salaries. Yet, it is the closest government
to the grassroots."
On the review of the revenue formula being asked for by governors, the source,
who is a senior government, official, said: "We cannot change the revenue
allocation formula, until the autonomy of local governments is guaranteed."
"The governors will also have to accept the reality that the local government
system must run effectively. The era of tampering with the local government
funds is over.
"If this is acceptable to the governors, the Presidency will also accept the
review of the revenue formula through constitution amendment," the source, who
pleaded not to be named, said.


http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/14500-jonathan-forges-ahead-with-single-tenure-plan.html

Wonderful, wonderful move if he can pull it off. Just as states need to be empowered relative to the FG, so do LGAs.

^^^ My brother man, I am already so excited that GEJ thought along these lines! I wish he can pull through with these LGA issue. It will a big boost to GEJ's political sagacity, if he can hold the governors to ransom and empower the LGA system of gvernment. This will be great, just too great, the best thing to happen to Nigeria in this era of GEJ. May God help him and help Nigerians!

Many if not all LGA are content to pay salaries and pack refuse perhaps, then they share all the money - corruption at its highest.

I have been singing on NL about how inefficient our LGA's are. The hypocricy of the governors singing and shouting true fedelaism knows no bounds as they all divert LGA money for spurious uses. I support everything in this bill except the tenure duration. I urge the NA to ammend the bill by expunging the tenure elongation and passing the bill including revenue allocation formular , empowerment of the LGAs and so on.

The independence of the LGAs would make the poltical positions more competitive which should hopeflly translate into better governance. The role of Local government commsiion in states is another thing that should be looked into as these bodies solely exists to get a percentage of LGA funds for personal use.