The chairman, Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC, Christopher Maikalangu, has said 1999 Constitution of Nigeria as amended is a document that empowers the systems of government operating in the country.
Maikalangu was responding to questions from the South Sudanese team, on Tuesday in Abuja, who are visiting the Country in a bid to understand operations of the federal system of government, beginning from the third tier of government.
Maikalangu pointed out that powers of each tier were determined by the Constitution and when there is no interference within its legal limits, there is rarely cause for any conflict.
Therefore as the closest tier of government to the people, Local Governments, including Area Councils in the Federal Capital Territory require more resources to be able to provide basic amenities such as pipe-borne water, electricity, road network and primary health care, among others.
“We are closest to the people, so we need more money to provide for their basic needs”.
The AMAC Boss decried low funds from the two sources of revenue generation available to the Council: Federation Account and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), were insufficient to cater for the 250 villages with the Council.
Earlier, Leader of the South Sudanese delegation and Minister of Federal Affairs, Hon. Losuba Wongo Ludoru, while stating the reason for the visit disclosed that the team was in Nigeria to understudy our federal system and replicate same in South Sudan.
According to him, the youngest country which obtained her independence 2011, has unfortunately been enmeshed in internal crisis, making the President, Republic of South Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit to establish the Federal Affairs Ministry as part of efforts to enthrone a federal structure to take care of that country’s diversity and form an all-inclusive government.
Wongo revealed that President Kiir specifically recommended Nigeria as a country with an enduring legacy of a federal structure worthy of study and emulation.
“If we have to be a united South Sudan, we need a federal system of government, a permanent constitution, a competent justice system and achieve the return of refugees.
“A federal system of government units different people without having to continueously fight at the centre”, he stated.
Among other inquiries made, was how revenue was generated and distributed among the three tiers of governments in Nigeria and separation of powers among them.
Also,on processes of recruitment of personnel, how it was carried out to ensure equal representation of diverse peoples, budgeting processes, as well as governance of service delivery.