ZAMFARA GOLD: ONUESOKE LAUDS GOVERNOR FOR CHAMPIONING TRUE FEDERALISM
"The decision by the Zamfara state government, led by Alhaji Bello Muhammad Matawalle to sell gold mined in his state to the federal government is something that every state must emulate if the various states truly desire to put a stop to their over-dependence on the federal government for allocations, monthly".... Onuesoke.
Following calls for the restructuring of the country, a former gubernatorial aspirant in delta state and environmental expert has commended the Zamfara state governor for championing the struggle for True Federalism.
Giving this commendation is Chief Sunny Onuesoke, a prominent chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in a statement issued on Monday in Warri, the commercial capital of Delta State.
Onuesoke who stated that the decision by the Zamfara state government, led by Alhaji Bello Muhammad Matawalle to sell gold mined in his state to the federal government is something that every state must emulate if the various states truly desire to put a stop to their over-dependence on the federal government for allocations, monthly.
According to Onuesoke, “time has come for the country to practice True Federalism whereby, each state of the federation develops and harnesses the natural resources in its domain and contributes a certain percentage to the federation account instead the other way round”.
“Gold mined in Zamfara state is being sold by the state government and as such, governors of states in the Niger Delta region should be immediately, begin plans to explore, exploit and sell oil and other natural resources discovered in the region for the developmental growth of their people and region”, he said.
“If the Gold deposits and other mineral resources in Zamfara, Kaduna and other states in the north can be harnessed and sold by these states, I do not see why the Federal Government must continue to insist that, drilling of oil in the Niger Delta by individuals, is illegal and a crime. If individuals and private concerns in the above-mentioned states can explore the natural resources in the northern region and are paid for their finds, there should be no discrimination. This is unjust, discriminatory and deliberate ploys to further impoverish the people of the Niger Delta region”, Onuesoke stated.
He therefore called on the governors of the nines states that make up the Niger Delta region, to ensure that they push for true federalism as they meet to deliberate on the way forward.
“True Federalism is practicable and would further create development and growth to the various states which would make the states stronger and independent of the federal government than this beggarly method whereby, state governors run to Abuja every month to receive allocations”.
“True Federalism and self-dependence would make state governors become creative, innovative and exploit the mineral resources in their separate domains and eventually, stop flight of the youths and able bodied persons from the rural areas to urban centres, in search of employment opportunities”.
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