Governor Masari Sends Powerful Message To Buhari On Tackling Insecurity

BY ADEYEMI AKANJI, BAUCHI – Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari has urged the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency, declare a State of Emergency on security in the country in order to restore peace and order.

Governor Masari, who stated this in a keynote address he presented at the opening ceremony of the quarterly meeting of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, said that the Katsina State Government with cooperation of the State Assembly has provided the legal framework and restructured existing ones, among other measures, to curb insecurity in the State.

He said that through the new laws, security committees were created to provide security agencies with useful information, collaborate with security agencies for the maintenance of law and order among other functions.

Masarai said the new laws equally reviewed the power and role of traditional rulers in the maintenance of law and order in their various domains.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Conference of Speakers, Hon. Abubakar Y Suleiman said that Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria are disturbed by the negative trend of the menace of insecurity in the country which has made life miserable for Nigerians.

Suleiman, who is the Speaker of the Bauchi State House of Assembly who spoke on the theme; “The Menace of Insecurity in the Country and the Role of State Assemblies to Restore Peace and Order”, lamented that insecurity in the country has assumed a disturbing dimension thus, constituted a serious threat not only to economic growth and development but also to the peace and unity of the nation.

He stressed the need for all hands to be on deck to fight the menace for the good of the nation.

According to Suleiman; “We have therefore convened this meeting to discuss and proffer solutions to this problem within our constitutional mandate. And we hope legislative frameworks at the sub-national level adopted will go a long way to compliment the efforts of the Federal Government to check the menace of insecurity in the country”.

He urged the Governor and his colleagues in the parliament to continue supporting and cooperating with each other in the fight against insecurity and good governance in the State.

The Chairman of the Conference of Speakers said that the efficiency and effectiveness with which the legislative arm can carry out its constitutional mandate depends largely on the financial autonomy the arm enjoys as provided by the 4th Alteration to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which stated that financial autonomy for both the state legislature and judiciary is very germane for good governance in the country.

While acknowledging and commending the efforts and passion of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum in this regard in general and the individual governors that have assented to Fund Management Bills in their respective states in particular, Suleiman called on other state governors to give assents to the noble Bill for effective and efficient implementation of financial autonomy across the nation.

Speaking in turn, the Speaker of the Katsina State House of Assembly, Hon. Tasiu Maigari said the meeting will provide them an avenue to discuss the role states legislature will play in tackling insecurity and strengthening of democracy in the country.

Maigari said that exemplary leadership of Governor Masari, the cooperation, mutual trust and respect between the legislative and executive arms in the State has resulted in strong partnership towards putting an end security problems and excellent service delivery in the State.