National Confab Group wants federal ministries Reduce to 10

Lagos State chapter of
Ikot Ekpene, Essien Udim and
Obot Akara Development Union,
IKEDOA, has advocated the
reduction of federal ministries to
ten, as part of efforts towards
producing a workable document
for Nigerians by delegates at the
ongoing National Conference.

The group also recommended
that states be made to remit 30
per cent of accruals to the federal
purse and should also be allowed
to control resources, rather than
the blanket control currently
being exercised by the Federal
Government.

A communiqué by five of its
executive members also
recommended a parliamentary
system of government with a bi-
cameral legislative system
comprising the Senate and the
House of Representatives.
It also recommended that states
have their separate legal system,
with court hierarchy up to Court
of Appeal and that legislators
should work on part-time basis.

The communiqué, signed by Mr.
Samuel Udo Usoro, and others,
pointed out that the group
decided to toe the line, having
been persuaded that the 2014
conference will produce a
progressive nation where peace,
justice and happiness will reign.

IKEDOA, however, listed 38 items
which it believed should be in
the legislative and policy
framework of the state.
Some of the items include arms
and ammunition, customs and
excise duty, communication,
prisons, electricity, lands,
electoral system, local
government and constitution.
It recommended that such items
as defence, citizenship, currency
and exchange control, foreign
affairs, population, creation of
states, national flag, titles,
treaties, stamp duty and
immigration should be the
exclusive reserve and policy
framework of the federal
authority.

Reference: Vanguard News/ by Onozure Dania