Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has called for an urgent review of the 1999 Constitution in order for the country to achieve its desired socio-economic growth.
Amosun, who made this call in Abeokuta at the opening ceremony of the retreat organised by the House of Representatives Special Ad-Hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, noted that the nation’s socio-economic and political life is largely affected by imbalances in the constitution.
He explained that previous attempts to amend the constitution failed due to ethnic interest and mutual distrust among the federating units.
The governor said the retreat, with the theme, “the Imperatives of Constitution Review and Amendment in Nation Building,” will do justice to issues, such as derivation formula, revenue allocation, fiscal federalism, resource control, marginalisation and creation of Local Government.
While expressing optimism that the committee would justify its responsibility in achieving desired objectives, Amosun urged it to guard against all actions that could compromise the unity of the country.
He urged the committee to produce an acceptable constitution that will serve as the blueprint for social economic and political development of the country.
Declaring the retreat opened, Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, represented by the Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, said to make progress as a nation, issues such as Local Government funding, functions, structure and elections need to be reformed.
On his part, the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives and Chairman of the committee, Hon. Yusuf Lasun, assured that the committee would come up with recommendations that would benefit the citizens and move the country forward.