Killings: Osinbajo Calls For Establishment Of State Police
Osinbajo stated this in Lagos, while delivering a lecture at the special parliamentary session in commemoration of the third Anniversary of the eight Assembly of Lagos State which took place at the chamber of the Lagos state House of Assembly.
He said the state and community policing by locals who understand the terrain and their local languages will no doubt address the insecurity problems in the country, saying that “local policing is very important as part of security architecture”.
Although the topic for the lecture was ‘Strengthening legislative institutions: panacea for eradicating democracy’, the Vice President narrowed the topic down to ‘Stronger state and the eradication of poverty.
Osinbajo stated categorically that poverty can be eradicated by having strong states with strong judiciary, executive and legislature that would channel the resources of the state to create wealth for the citizens and eradicate poverty.
“The three arms of government in the states must work proactively for the economic development of its citizens. To achieve this there must be devolution of powers to the states to enable them control their resources”, Osinbajo said.
He cited the great feat achieved by the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo who as Premier of then Western region recorded achievements that were acknowledged world -wide and most of which has remained enduring relying solely on revenue from taxes and cocoa.
Osinbajo also called for devolution of power and restructuring but that even without restructuring it is possible to create a strong state without any major constitutional changes.
He cited how collaboration between the three arms of government in Lagos right from the reign of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the present governor the state has been able to win series of cases at the Supreme Court which has given more powers to not just only Lagos state but which has benefited so many other states as well.
According to him, the Lagos Assembly has pushed the frontiers of federalism by passing laws which has strengthened federalism in Nigeria.
He advised that for outstanding economic growth there is need to focus more on education, healthcare and provision of jobs through deliberate programmes and pumping of more resources to these sectors to benefit the majority of the citizens.
The Vice President stated further that the present government is working round the clock to create an environment for business to grow especially a micro credit scheme for those at the lower rung of the economic ladder to lift them out of poverty.
In his remarks Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode commended the leadership of the state Assembly for team dynamics and infrastructural development within the Assembly.
In his welcome address earlier, speaker of the Assembly Hon.Mudashiru Obasa said in three years the Assembly has passed 28 bills into law and over 100 resolutions on education, health, power, transport, security and environment for the well-being of Parisians.
