NIQS advocates restructured economy with more power to states

NIQS advocates for restructured economy with more power to states

NAN-HE-5

Decentralisation

By Lilian Chukwu
Lagos, March 7, 2018 (NAN) The Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) has called for a restructured economy with more powers to lower levels of government to encourage economic development.

Mr Jide Oke, its Marketing and Corporate Affairs officer, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Wednesday.

Oke said the power decentralisation was necessary to allow states independently run their administrations without interference from the Federal Government.

He said that poor economic development of most states in the country was as a result of policy inconsistency and constant Federal Government’s interference in their affairs.

According to him, if the different state can be allowed to generate their incomes, allocate resources and manage its overall administrative affairs, there will be improvement in grassroot development and economic growth across the country.

He said that Federal Government’s interference had often disrupted plans and activities of the state governments, stressing that there was need for more freedom for the states.

“ For instance, in cases of security challenges, a state will be waiting for the Federal Government to respond and deploying some security men to the state to put the situation under control,”he said.

Oke said that every states was naturally endowed with one or more natural resources, and the different levies and taxes collected by a state could be more properly harnessed. (NAN)
LUC/IKU/TÁ
Edited by Tayo Ikujuni/Tajudeen Atitebi