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Governor Ahmed Sanni Yerima of Zamfara State has said he had nothing against the agitation by people of South-south for resource control and increase in derivation fund.
Governor Ahmed Sanni Yerima of Zamfara State has said he had nothing against the agitation by people of South-south for resource control and increase in derivation fund.
He spoke in Government House Gusau weekend during an interactive session with a group of visiting journalists.
The twin issues of resources control and derivation have of late become thorny in the polity such that it divided the National Political Reform Conference.
While the conference recommended 18 per cent derivation, an increase of 5percent from what currently obtains the south-south delegates who later staged a walk-out on the conference, said they would not take anything less than 25 percent.
But in apparent support of the position of the South south delegates, Sani said ‘there is really a need to increase certain percentage of allocation to the oil producing states."
He, however harmered on the need for sincerity of purpose on the parts of leaders of the oil producing areas to ensure that the lives of the people are bettered.
He said, 'even if we give 100 percent to the oil producing areas, if there is no sincerity of purpose on the part of the leaders in the region, people will not feel the impact".
The governor also commennted on the on-going anti-corruption crusade of the Obasanjo administration, describing it as " a very laudable programme" and hoping that the president would have the political will to carry it through.
Yerima , himself a strong advocate of zero corruption and moral regeneration, commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the independent Corrupt Practices and other Offences Commission (ICPC) for the doggedness with which they are prosecuting the anti-corruption war.
He, however, expressed the belief that the commissions must do more than they are presently doing.
The governor recommended an aspect of what he called " the Zamfara formula" for combating corruption.i.e public declaration of assets by public officers.
"It is the best way to fight corruption because if we declare our assets publicly, the people would be able to monitor our activities and raise eyebrows anytime they feel we are growing too fat for our clothes".