(Geoffrey Anyanwu, AWKA)
Speaker of Anambra State of House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mrs. Rita Maduagwu has disagreed with those blaming the woes of Nigeria on the way the country is structured, insisting that the ban of Nigeria is bad leadership.
Speaking on the growing demands by some Nigerians for the restructuring of the Nigerian nation to make the centre weak and allow regions to control their resources, Maduagwu stated that what Nigeria needs was management of her resources by competent leaders as managers.
She said “Nigeria is sick, no doubt about it; to the extent that one doesn’t really know the solution to our problem.
‘But I don’t think restructuring Nigeria is the best solution. What we need is management of our resources by competent leaders as managers.
The Anambra Assembly Speaker who spoke to newsmen in Awka yesterday warned that Nigeria should not succumb to the temptation to restructure the country to occasion depravity and suffering on some parts that would not be viable to stand on their own due to lack of mineral resources and crops.
She stressed that it was not by accident that providence bestowed on some parts of the country certain comparative advantages in form of minerals and crops for the benefit of the entire country.
Furthering her argument she asked, “If you restructure the country by allowing each area or region to control their resource, and other parts of the country will be suffering, have you solved the problem?
“What do you think others who don’t have such advantage would do? Of course the answer is suffering and resultant agitations. That is not in the interest of the country.
“I think the present agitations are because people are suffering. If things are properly managed and sense of belonging given to everybody in terms of welfare and appointments, Nigeria will be good for everybody and anger in the land will significantly reduce.”
Meanwhile, another member of the State Assembly, Hon. Patrick Aniuno, representing Onitsha South I disagreed with the Speakers view insisting that for Nigeria to make headway she must be restructured.
He said, “There is marginalization of most people in Nigeria. Restructuring is the answer. Most of the good things; including appointments are going to the northern part of the country. There is lopsidedness in most things done in the country today.
“The South-East is the worst hit, where the geopolitical zone has five states against other zones that have six states and in a certain case seven states with large number of local government areas.
“Besides, the power at the centre should be decentralized in such a way that the federating units should have a say in their affairs and resources.”