By Ibrahim Kado
Senator Abubakar Girei of All Progressive Congress (APC) has called for President Bola Tinubu’s intervention for the restoration of local government autonomy in the country as it were.
Girei, who represented Adamawa Central Senatorial District between 1999 and 2003, made the call at a news conference in Yola on Thursday.
He said the third tier of government was created purposely to address the concerns of the common man.
“I want to also lend a voice to the clarion call for the independence of the third tier of government whose powers have been completely usurped by most governors.
“Local governments are for the most part exists only in name, but they have been rendered lame and prostrate due to the total annexation of their independence and resources by the states”, he said.
He also advised President Tinubu to ensure the immediate establishment of state police to complement the efforts of national security agencies.
Girei said, to ease the suffering of Nigerians, “Tinubu should issue a Presidential Order asking all political office holders at national, states and local levels to sacrifice and contribute 40 per cent of their salaries and allowances for two years.
“President should summon a meeting of National Council of State and National Economic Council to harmonise their position and implement measures to ease the suffering of the Nigerians.
“Present a supplementary budget of N1 trillion to the NASS for immediate approval for Bank of Agriculture to fund credit delivery to all the value chains in the Agricultural and Livestock sector.”
Girei urged for the immediate implementation of the white paper on “Oronsaye Report” to rationalise the MDAs and reduce cost of governance.
He also urged the president to order the stoppage of subsidy payment to independent marketers because that is a major source of diversion of public funds to private pockets.
“The government should also spare no efforts to tackle the scourge of smuggling of petroleum resources to neighbouring countries.
“While NNPCL should remain the sole importer and exporter of petroleum products which means other importers should purchase petroleum products only from the NNPCL.
“I wish to also call on the Government to take maximum caution in the implementation of lMF and World Bank policies”.
According to him, a worthless currency is a time bomb that will blow the economy of the country to pieces as it happened in Zimbabwe and Venezuela. (NAN)
