States new economic powers

VANGUARD

THE Muhammadu Buhari administration and the National Assembly led by Senate President Maina Lawan deserve a pat on the back for successfully moving the power to build and operate power grids and railway systems from the Exclusive List to the Concurrent List.

The overloading of the Exclusive List with Federal powers by the Military for more than 50 years rendered that sub-national level largely dependent on the Federal Government for almost every of its financial needs. Most states lost the courage to see visions and dream dreams. The failures of the Federal Government also became failure down the ranks.

We strongly believe that the empowerment of the states to create their own power grids and railway networks is a significant gesture in fostering resource control in the states. A situation where states like Lagos, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and private sector investor, Geometric Power in Aba, Abia State, could not independently operate their power stations within their jurisdictions without recourse to the national grid and the regulatory encumbrances of Federal bureaucrats derailed the noble objectives behind these initiatives.

With the new constitutional boost, states can now make long-term investments in power and the railways to promote rapid industrial, commercial and economic growth in their states. They can establish industrial hubs and connect them by roads and rail alike. Hopefully, the days are numbered when total dependence on the roads alone for movement of goods and people meant the prevalence of deplorable roads throughout the country.

The erstwhile restriction of powers over rail and electricity to the Exclusive List played a major role in making Nigeria one of the worst in terms of infrastructure deficit. The Federal Government could only do so much without inputs from the lower levels of governance and private sector investors. Perhaps, the dwindling capacity of the Federal Government to make any meaningful impact on these sectors forced federal potentates to offload more economic powers to the states.