Insecurity: 36 Assembly Speakers Demand State Police, Community Policing

…as Okowa calls for dialogue

SPEAKERS of State Legislatures of Nigeria, weekend, called on
major stakeholders to use the instrumentality of the ongoing Review
of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to
accommodate Community Policing and State Police in the country to
effectively tackle the challenges of insecurity bedevilling the
country.

The Speakers in a point communique issued at the end of their
second-quarter meeting held in Asaba, the Delta State capital,
which was signed by the National Chairman and Speaker of Bauchi
State House of Assembly, Mr Abubarkar Suleiman, decried the spate
of insecurity in the country.

The communique read: “The Conference commends and appreciates
the efforts of the Executive Governor of Delta State, Senator
Ifeanyi Okowa and the Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Chief
Sheriff Oborevwori for hosting this meeting to discuss a wide range
of issues affecting the nation.

“The Conference, again, decries the spate of insecurity in the
Country; and while commending the Federal Government on its efforts
at fighting the insecurity in the country, the Conference calls on
the major stakeholders to use the instrumentality of the ongoing
Review of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to
accommodate Community Policing and State Police in the country to
effectively tackle the insecurity bedeviling the country.

“The Conference commends the Governors that have commenced the
implementation of the financial autonomy in their states while
urging the other state governors to follow suite as agreed in the
Memorandum of Action signed by all the Stakeholders.

“The Conference also calls on all the State Houses of Assembly
to pass Funds Management Bill for Assent of the Governors within
the Forty-Five (45) days window as agreed to by all the
Stakeholders.”

Meanwhile, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has called for
dialogue on how to ensure fairness and equity in the governance of
the country.

He said the country was facing serious challenges that required
leaders to preach hope to the people and ensure that the unity of
the nation was not breached

Okowa who spoke at a state banquet in honour of members of the
Speakers of State Legislatures, told Nigerians not to compromise
the country’s unity, adding that its strength lies in citizens’
collective bond.

He said; “there is need for leaders to give hope to the people
because if the leaders begin to lose hope in the nation, the
followers will be in trouble”, adding that “at critical times as is
currently prevailing in the country, people in sensitive positions,
including Speakers of legislatures, are required to truly help to
build the nation.

“In very trying times such as this, we must ensure that we
continue to give hope to our people and that we continue to do the
very little that we can even in our various constituencies because
a little hope can encourage those who would have felt helpless.

“There are so many things that ought to be discussed, but we are
not discussing yet; there is a need for a true dialogue even when
people tend to misconstrue it when we speak about dialogue.

“It’s not about coming to quarrel, it’s about protecting the
inside of us so that we can become greater brothers for the future
and I think that it’s important we understand that when we speak
that it’s not about division but about unity.

Earlier in his remarks at the banquet, Chairman, Conference of
Speakers of State Legislatures, Mr. Abubakar Suleiman, said the
people oriented projects scattered across the State were products
of the mutual relationship between the executive and legislature in
Delta State and commended the Governor for the massive
projects.

“We will make your keynote speech a template and a model of
executive-legislative relations in the country”, Suleiman said. The
host Speaker and Deputy Chairman of the Conference, Chief Sheriff
Oborevwori, said the Assembly was committed to partnering Governor
Ifeanyi Okowa to build a Stronger Delta.

Oborevwori urged his brother Speakers to remain committed to the
growth and development of the country.

…as Okowa calls for dialogue

SPEAKERS of State Legislatures of Nigeria, weekend, called on
major stakeholders to use the instrumentality of the ongoing Review
of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to
accommodate Community Policing and State Police in the country to
effectively tackle the challenges of insecurity bedevilling the
country.

The Speakers in a point communique issued at the end of their
second-quarter meeting held in Asaba, the Delta State capital,
which was signed by the National Chairman and Speaker of Bauchi
State House of Assembly, Mr Abubarkar Suleiman, decried the spate
of insecurity in the country.

The communique read: “The Conference commends and appreciates
the efforts of the Executive Governor of Delta State, Senator
Ifeanyi Okowa and the Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Chief
Sheriff Oborevwori for hosting this meeting to discuss a wide range
of issues affecting the nation.

“The Conference, again, decries the spate of insecurity in the
Country; and while commending the Federal Government on its efforts
at fighting the insecurity in the country, the Conference calls on
the major stakeholders to use the instrumentality of the ongoing
Review of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to
accommodate Community Policing and State Police in the country to
effectively tackle the insecurity bedeviling the country.

“The Conference commends the Governors that have commenced the
implementation of the financial autonomy in their states while
urging the other state governors to follow suite as agreed in the
Memorandum of Action signed by all the Stakeholders.

“The Conference also calls on all the State Houses of Assembly
to pass Funds Management Bill for Assent of the Governors within
the Forty-Five (45) days window as agreed to by all the
Stakeholders.”

Meanwhile, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has called for
dialogue on how to ensure fairness and equity in the governance of
the country.

He said the country was facing serious challenges that required
leaders to preach hope to the people and ensure that the unity of
the nation was not breached

Okowa who spoke at a state banquet in honour of members of the
Speakers of State Legislatures, told Nigerians not to compromise
the country’s unity, adding that its strength lies in citizens’
collective bond.

He said; “there is need for leaders to give hope to the people
because if the leaders begin to lose hope in the nation, the
followers will be in trouble”, adding that “at critical times as is
currently prevailing in the country, people in sensitive positions,
including Speakers of legislatures, are required to truly help to
build the nation.

“In very trying times such as this, we must ensure that we
continue to give hope to our people and that we continue to do the
very little that we can even in our various constituencies because
a little hope can encourage those who would have felt helpless.

“There are so many things that ought to be discussed, but we are
not discussing yet; there is a need for a true dialogue even when
people tend to misconstrue it when we speak about dialogue.

“It’s not about coming to quarrel, it’s about protecting the
inside of us so that we can become greater brothers for the future
and I think that it’s important we understand that when we speak
that it’s not about division but about unity.

Earlier in his remarks at the banquet, Chairman, Conference of
Speakers of State Legislatures, Mr. Abubakar Suleiman, said the
people oriented projects scattered across the State were products
of the mutual relationship between the executive and legislature in
Delta State and commended the Governor for the massive
projects.

“We will make your keynote speech a template and a model of
executive-legislative relations in the country”, Suleiman said. The
host Speaker and Deputy Chairman of the Conference, Chief Sheriff
Oborevwori, said the Assembly was committed to partnering Governor
Ifeanyi Okowa to build a Stronger Delta.

Oborevwori urged his brother Speakers to remain committed to the
growth and development of the country.