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Author: Williams Adekunle

  • APC chieftain advocates merger of House of Reps, Senate

    APC chieftain advocates merger of House of Reps, Senate

    Merger

    By Adekunle Williams

    Lagos, June 9,2024(NAN)A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress(APC),Mr Abiodun Salami , has called for the adoption of unicameral legislative system to reduce cost of governance.

    Salami ,a former Assistant Publicity Secretary of the party in Lagos ,made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN)on Sunday.

    He was reacting to calls in some quarters that the country should jettison its current two-chamber National Assembly and adopt unicameral legislature in order to reduce cost of governance.

    NAN reports that unicameral legislature is a system with one chamber or house, unlike a bicameral legislature which has two chambers(Senate and House of Representatives).

    Some countries with unicameral legislatures include:- China (National People’s Congress) Sweden (Riksdag) Norway (Storting) Denmark (Folketing)and Portugal (Assembly of the Republic).

    Salami said the Senate and House of Representatives should be merged ,then the number of legislators pruned, to have a single -chamber legislature.

    He said operating the House of Representatives and the Senate together is a burden on the country’s resources.

     

    “Bi-cameral legislature is wasteful.We can merge the Senate and the House of Representatives to have a single house to ease the business of lawmaking and reduce the huge funds spent to maintain the two chambers that we have now.

    “We can merge the two chambers and then reduce the number of lawmakers .The country spends a lot maintaining the 109 Senators and 360 members of House of Representatives

    “We are having challenges with the economy right now.We should be ready to make sacrifices and take bold steps.The bicameral legislature we are having ,to me,is frivolity”,he said.

    Salami said those who argue that unicameral legislature is not suited for the presidential system of government that Nigeria operates have limited knowledge of how things work in other countries.

    “Those who argue that Nigeria,as a presidential system,cannot adopt unicameral legislature are wrong .They need to check well as there are some countries running the same presidential system as ours and still run unicameral legislature.

    “Liberia and South Sudan both run the presidential system of government ,but do not have the Senate and the House of Representatives as we have;They run one-chamber legislature.

    “Unicameral legislature is less expensive.You do not need to buy many SUVs for the too many lawmakers. You do not to spend too much money on allowances.If we really care about improving governance ,then we should adopt it”,he said.

    The APC chieftain also said the country would save cost by selecting ministers from the legislature.

    “I think we should also jettison the idea of picking ministers outside of the legislature.It will save us a lot of money.

    “The legislators are experienced people.Some of them are experts and some ex-governors and ministers,so they are experienced in governance.We can pick among them and make them ministers while still serving as lawmakers.

    “I represented a ward in Kosofe LG as a councillor under the defunct UNCP in the 90s.While serving as councillor,I was also made the Supervisor for Agriculture ,which is an executive position .So ,we can adopt this too at the national level .It will save us a lot”, he said. (NAN)

    WAC/BHB

     

    Edited by Buhari Bolaji

     

  • I inherited 80% infrastructural deficit from last administration – Gov. Adeleke

    I inherited 80% infrastructural deficit – Gov. Adeleke
    ODA
    By Adekunle Williams
    Lagos, June 2, 2024 (NAN) Gov. Ademola Adeleke of Osun State said he inherited more than 80 per cent infrastructural deficit from the immediate past administration  of the state.
    Adeleke disclosed this at a programme organised by the Osun Development Association in Lagos on Sunday.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the programme was,  ‘A celebration of Founding Members, Inauguration of Council of Elders, Induction of New Members and Thought Leadership’.
    Adeleke ,represented by Chief Lai Orilowo, Group Managing Director ,Odua Investment Company Limited ,said that he worked assiduously to  solve the problem, adding  that the positive results were there for all to see.
    He noted that almost all the projects not completed  by his predecessor had been completed.
    Adeleke said he had also ended the regime of  “half salary” for  workers ,noting  that workers and pensioners were being paid as and when due.
    He said: “We are paying back the diverted contributory pensions of our senior citizens.
    “Our pensioners are registered for a health insurance scheme with the state paying the bills.
    “We have  reformed  the public service and  have ensured regular payment of salaries and promotion arrears.
    “In Osun, there is a nexus between the formal and informal workforce.So, taking care of public servants boosts, enlivens and strengthens the informal workforce in the state.”he said.
    The governor said the completion of all inherited projects was in line with the commitment of the present administration to ensure accelerated development of the state.
    “We live it and act it. I retained all contractors inherited from my predecessor; none of those contracts were terminated. No contractor was fired. My only insistence was that they must deliver on what they signed with the state.
    “I am also completing most abandoned projects inherited from my predecessor. The Ikirun-Osogbo dualisation is completed and I am going to complete the road up to the border with Kwara .
    “The Osogbo Ring Road is being completed ,while the Osogbo-Iwo road is ongoing. ”he said.
    Adeleke said the state government’s focus on  infrastructural development was based on the fact that development would be difficult with poor infrastructure.
    Adeleke solicited the support of  groups like the Osun Development Association on growing  the state’s digital economy, education, health and agriculture.
    The chairman of the occasion,the  Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi commended  the association for pursuing efforts aimed at promoting the  development of the state.
    Ogunwusi, who is the special guest of the occasion, urged the association to continue urge its members to use their  wealth of experience to promote the development of the state.
    In his welcome of address, the Chairman of the association, Dr Segun Aina, said the  association had  made several interventions promote the  peace and development pf the state
    He said the association had inaugurated a  15 -member council of elders to give the association the needed advisory support and ideas for the  development of the association and the state.(NAN)
    WAC/BHB
    Edited by Buhari Bolaji