Bill to empower states to control electricity passes second reading

The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed for second reading, a bill seeking to empower states to control electricity supply, and declaration of public holidays.

The bill seeks to have the 1999 Constitution amended so that it can devolve to states some items which it reserves for the Federal Government.

Other items the bill seeks to be transferred to the concurrent list include policing and mining.

Presenting the bill, Mohammed Monguno, Reps Majority Leader, who sponsored it, said the transfer of those powers to the states was long overdue.

He added that those powers would “set in development in Nigeria” if transferred to the state.

In his contribution, Uzoma Nkem-Abonta said, “What is the business of Federal Government with some of these items? Until we unbundle the centre, Nigeria will remain stagnant.

“We are saying the centre is overloaded with a lot and they cannot move. We need to reduce the centre so they can move.”

Similarly, Rep Kuye Aliu pointed out that the bill “goes to the very heart of all agitations in this country.”

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He said, “The constitution provides that Nigeria shall be a federation but as it is, it is running like a unitary system of government.

“There may be no peace in the country until we leave that colonial mentality. This is a bill that all of us should support at this critical time.”

After voting for the passage of the bill for second reading, it was referred to the Reps Committee on Constitution Amendment.

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