Kunle Adelabu
The representative of the Ikorodu Federal Constituency, Rep. Babajimi Adegoke Benson, has reinstated his commitment to the constitutional provision to grant states of the federation permission to establish their own police.
He reiterated his stance towards the establishment of state police at a plenary session of the National Assembly, as revealed in a statement on THE IMPACT WhatsApp platform late Friday.
Benson, the Chairman, House Committee on Defense, stated that efforts are being geared towards true federal structure by decentralizing the control of electricity generation and transmission through a bill seeking to amend the Electric Power Sector Reform Act, and another bill aimed at altering the CFRN 1999, to move railways from the Exclusive to Concurrent Legislative List among others.
The Electricity Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024, signed into law by President Bola Tinubu, seeks to address the development and environmental concerns of host communities, and sets aside five percent of the actual annual operating expenditures of power generating companies (GENCOs) from the preceding year, for the development of their respective host communities.
The Bill further provides that the funds set aside for the development of host communities, will be received, managed, and administered for infrastructure development in the host communities by a reputable Trustee/Manager to be jointly appointed by the respective GENCO and their host community.
“Few days ago, I supported the debate on a constitutional amendment bill for the creation of State Police in Nigeria”, he said.
“I recommended that states should first apply to be licensed to have their own police force.
“This is akin to what the National Universities Commission (NUC) and other regulatory authorities do before approving the establishment of universities across the country.
“It is my opinion that this will sanitize the process and ensure that only eligible states are granted permission to have state police”, rep. Benson said.
