Rivers state governor, Chibuike Amaechi says the federal government should be blamed for the under performance of state governors in Nigeria.
Amaechi who stated this during a courtesy call on him by the House of Representative Committee on Youth and Social Development led by Hon. Kamil Akinlabi Mudashiru, lamented that governors are saddled with too many responsibilities.
“We are carrying too many responsibilities that belong to the federal government. For instance, It is not our responsibility to take care of NYSC, but I would renovate the NYSC Camp in Onne, Rivers state and build more hostels. This is not my responsibility or that of any governor but of the federal government,” the governor said.
He called for the devolution of powers in the ongoing amendment of the constitution, stressing that the federal government has taken too many functions which it has not been able to meet up with.
‘The best thing to do is that the powers of the federal government be devolved heavily downwards and I mean downwards, so that the states can perform some of those functions.”
Amaechi enjoined the National Assembly to support a structure of two federating units, between the federal and state governments as it is practiced in other countries. He called on the House to ignore calls for autonomy to local governments which would make them one of the federating units as the governors will not back such moves.
Earlier in his address, Hon. Mudashiru said they were in the state to see the NYSC camp and expressed gratitude to the governor for attending to the needs of the NYSC members in the state.