Stakeholders across the country are expected to deliberate on the legislative framework which seeks to grant States the power to control revenues derived from minerals resources during the Constitution review exercise to be flagged off soon.
The bill, sponsored by Leo Ogor, Minority Leader during Wednesday plenary session, scaled through second reading on the floor of the House of Representatives.
Ogor (PDP-Delta) stressed the need to amend the Constitution with the view to empower the states to control of the revenues derived from all the mineral resources including: oil, natural gas in, under or upon any land in the states of the federation.
After robust debate on the bill titled: “A bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to vest the control of the revenues derived from minerals, mineral oils, natural gas in, under or upon any land in the states of the federation,” Speaker Yakubu Dogara referred it to the Special Ad-hoc Committee on Constitution Review, chaired by Yussuff Lasun for further legislative action.
Ogor, in his lead debate, said the bill if passed into law will give impetus to the quest of the government to diversify its economy, as states will focus on areas where they have comparative advantage.
He noted every state in the country is endowed with one natural resources or the other, adding that if these resources are well harnessed, they will make the states less dependent on the federal allocations.
He added that if the bill is passed into law, it will help the country function better as a federal state.
“We are confronted with a situation where states go cap in hand every month to Abuja for federal allocation.
“When states take up resources in their areas, it will lead to specialisation. The exclusive legislative list is over crowded,” Ogor argued.
In his contribution, Fredrick Agbedi (PDP-Bayelsa), who argued that the bill was long overdue, stressed that the bill when passed into law, would help to enhance the economy of the country and the pull the nation out of recession.
“We need to take practical steps to see that w end this recession. We will not be able to end the recession, if states continue to come to Abuja to collect money,” he said.
