From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has called for the scrapping of the Senate and advised that each geo political zone should have equal representatives at the National Assembly.
Akeredolu made the call while speaking at the public hearing organised by the House of Representatives Special Committee on Constitution Review held in Akure.
The governor, represented by his Deputy, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, said that the country should consider dropping the current bicameral structure of the National Assembly, and adopt unicameral legislature.
He said “the membership of the National Assembly should be part time. No member should earn allowances not known to the Revenue Mobilisation and Allocation Committee and the people they claim to serve.
“Legislators should earn a uniform salary structure. Allowance and peculiarities must not be about obscenity. The Senate should be scrapped.
“The House of Representatives too should not be unwieldy. A maximum of four representatives should come from each none,” the Governor added.
Akeredolu said that all issues which elicited distrust and suspicion must be investigated dispassionately, saying that “nobody should be shut out; all must be treated equally. All decisions must be anchored on the principles of Equity and Justice.”
The Governor noted that constitution review was an important assignment which must be undertaken with all seriousness.
Akeredolu also stated that revenue generation and allocation must reflect the extent to which a state participated in the economy.
“Ministries, departments and agencies must be pruned to reflect the socio-economic realities of the moment. The government at the centre must divest itself of the self-inflicted heavy burden, for effective and impactful performance,” he said.
Besides, the Governor made case for the establishment of state police, resource control, judicial reforms, especially with zones having their Courts of Appeal.
Earlier, the Chairman, Akure Centre of the South West Public Hearing, Mr Peter Akpatason said the event was important to have input of the people.
Akpatason said the constitution was made for the people and could not be done without adequate input from the society.
Also, Olubaka of Oka Akoko, Oba Yesufu Adeleye, called for special designated roles for traditional institution in the country’s constitution.
The traditional ruler noted that the problem and challenges facing the country originated from the 1999 constitution.