Delta State And Constitution Review

DELTA state right from inception has played formidable roles whenever issues of promoting national unity, equity and fairplay are involved.
Indeed, Delta and the people of the state have never hidden their irrevocable belief in the unity and indissoluble Nigerian nation premised on freedom, equity and justice.
The recently concluded retreat to Delta state by the Senate Committee on 1999 Constitution Review expectedly provided a veritable platform for Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan to not only adumbrate and reiterate the time-honoured position of the state, but to x-ray some obnoxious and unnecessary constitutional brick-walls and bottlenecks that have over the years constituted and still constituting severe impediments to savoare uring the dividends of true federalism.
These legal frameworks have wittingly and unwittingly, made true and fiscal federalism practically not observed to match the dreams of the founding fathers of Nigeria.
It is the submission of the state government that true and fiscal federalism operates and exists where people of diverse socio-cultural backgrounds, who otherwise could have been on their own elect to have a central government with the federating units retaining their peculiarities.
In such circumstance, the constitution which is the grundnorm of the union should be structured and couched in such a way that the federating units are not consumed by the suffocating burden of over centralization
It is however, the view of the Delta state government that in the 1999 constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria the legislative, executive and judicial powers are stridently skewed in favor of the centre
The laws fingered by the state government which invariably asphyxiate and frustrate rapid developments and healthy competitions within the federating units are the Petroleum Act. Cap 350 LFN 1990, Interpretation Act. Cap 192.LFN 1990, Land Use Act.Cap 202, LFN. 1990 as well as sections 44(3) and 162(1) and (10).
A point of convergence of all these laws is preponderance of expropriatory and unnecessary economic burden on the states.
They all place the central government in an undue advantageous position of taking the lion share of the nation’s wealth without regards to the source and the environmental consequences of exploration and exploitation of the resources on the producers who ironically have little or nothing to show for serving as the economic livewire of the nation.
For instance, the Niger Delta which is the mainstay of the economy has not much federal presence in terms of infrastructural development, job security among others.
It is the position of Delta state that a radical review of the constitution with a view to allowing the states to control their resources would make room for rapid socio-economic development and healthy competition.
This can only be achieved if the obnoxious laws are reviewed to the extent of their inconsistency or entirely repealed.
The onus is therefore on not only the senate committee but all stakeholders including the lower chambers of the National Assembly, the 36 states legislature and other interest groups to subscribe to a Constitution that will guarantee freedom, unity in diversity, peace and unity and above all act as a catalyst for equitable and rapid development for all.