The parliamentary system of government has been identified as a more cost-effective democratic alternative Nigeria should as a matter of urgency consider adopting for the governance of the country.
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom stated this in Makurdi while inaugurating the State Constitution Review Committee headed by the former State Chief Judge, Adam Onum.
He said the parliamentary system of government provides opportunities for power-sharing such that smaller parties also participate in governance, stressing that it is more accountable and considerably less complex.
According to the Governor, the current system of federalism where the Federal Government has constitutional powers in nearly 100 per cent performance while states and local governments only function 30 per cent or less is a distortion of the spirit and practice of federalism.
He stated that Nigeria needed a constitution that sets out a system in which the various tiers could simultaneously engage in the types of relationships common to all functional federations and specifications where the tiers have the autonomy, need cooperation and supervisory roles.
Governor Ortom also called for the establishment of a constitutional court to support the Supreme Court in settling disputes between tiers of government as a court of first and last resort.
The State Constitution Review Committee is to prepare a memorandum on gender equality, federal structure and power devolution, local government autonomy, public revenue, fiscal federation, and revenue allocation.
Other areas include Nigeria Police and Nigerian security architecture, comprehensive judicial reforms, electoral reforms to strengthen the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for transparent, credible, free, and fair elections.
The committee is to also submit proposals including state creation, residency and indigene provisions, immunity, the National Assembly, socio-economic and cultural rights as contained in Chapter two of the Constitution among others.
Chairman of the Committee, Justice Onum pledged the commitment of members to timely completion of the assignment.
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Secretary to the State Government and Attorney-General of the State will serve as Secretary and Assistant Secretary of the Committee respectively.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
