Nigeria’s Constitution Is Fraudulent - Governor Fashola

[emezico]

Lagos State governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has condemned the constitution of Nigeria, describing it as fraud.

Speaking at the presidential wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, on Tuesday, on arrival from Abuja, Fashola said the only way the impact of the local government areas in the country could be felt by the people was for the constitution to be amended in their favour.

The governor described a situation whereby the Federal Government took the lion's share of the revenue allocation as unrealistic, adding that both the states and the local governments were left to share a paltry 48 per cent, which, he said, was inadequate to take care of the challenges at the state level.

He said if the government at the federal level was working assiduously with all the resources at its disposal, the agony Nigerians were allegedly experiencing would have been minimal, while challenging journalists to carry out independent analysis on the pulse of the people on the activities of the Federal Government over the years.

He insisted that it would be difficult for the local governments to carry out their statutory functions of free health and free education at the primary school level, adding that they had been left with payment of salaries alone.

"Now, which is the government that is closest and most impactful to the people? But sadly, it is the government that has the least revenue," he said.

Fashola said the appropriation law prescribed about N240 billion for 2011 for subsidies, adding that as of September, the country had exceeded the approved amount by an additional N1.2 trillion.

Tribune