THE Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has advocated an emergency development plan in Niger Delta for 10 to 15 years, it was learnt.
An ASUU trustee, Dr. Dipo Fashina spoke yesterday in Calabar, Cross River State, at a two-day seminar organised by the Institute of Public Policy and Administration, University of Calabar and the African Research Council for Sustainable Development.
In his keynote address: “Re-visiting the Structural Foundation of Nigerian Federalism,’’ he said the plan would serve as a veritable option for solving structural imbalances in the federal system.
“We have recommended this option among others, as part of efforts of solving structural defects in the federal structure.”
Fashina, a former ASUU chief, stressed that calls for a national dialogue would not yield result unless it was driven by ”real people”.
He said what the nation required was not true federalism as canvassed by groups, but “just federalism”.
Said he: “I don’t think we should look for true federalism but a just federalism. By this, we talk about a just and equitable distribution of our national wealth; a fair and just society where everybody has a stake.’’
The chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, John Owan-Enoh, believed there was something wrong with the Nigerian system.
He said: “If after 56 years of independence, we are having issues of militancy in the Niger Delta; issues of corruption; agitation for resource control, among others, it shows our federalism is imperfect.
“These are indications that all is not well with our federalism.”
According to the senator, the country did better after independence under the regions.
“The West controlled cocoa, the North groundnut pyramid, and palm oil was in the East. These made the regional economies strong. There was healthy competition,” Owan-Enoh said.
Chairman of African Research Council for Sustainable Development, University of Ibadan Dr. Diji Chukwuemeka said the country had the potential to excel.
He said its future was with youths, who must work hard to take over as leaders of tomorrow.