Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State has made a case for constitunal relevance for the traditional institution, saying it will go a long way in checking the pervasive insecurity bedevilling northern part of the country.
Governor Masari spoke when he received the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero who was at the Katsina State Government House on courtesy visit on Wednesday, Abdu Labaran Malumfashi, DG Media disclosed in a statement
The Governor rued the 1976 Local Government Reform, which stripped the traditional institution of the Constitutional authority to act decisively in matters affecting their domain.
The Governor asserted that one of the reasons for the pervasive state of insecurity in parts of the country, notably the North West, was the powerlessness of the traditional institution to authoritatively intervene in the affairs of their locality.
“The Local Government Reform of 1976 created a vacuum, leaving the traditional institution with power, but no authority.
“We must find a way of creating a local authority with certain powers to act without waiting for permission from state government, because power without authority cannot function effectively.
“Katsina State is looking into ways to reintroduce the Village Security Council and the Community Council, which will in turn advise the Local Government Council on issues of significance, like security”.
According to him the local community must be given the enabling power for them to be able to secure their communities. “We need to create the enabling environment for leadership at village and community levels to thrive effectively”.
Governor Masari added that there was the”need for deeper self interrogation to find out what went wrong to get ourselves in this situation of mindless banditry, kidnapping, rape and other forms of criminality among the youth”.
The Governor disclosed that there was a cordial relationship between the Government and the traditional institution in Katsina State. The Emir of Kano had earlier passed a vote of confidence on Governor Masari for what he described as “the tremendous achievements recorded by the government in Katsina State in the last five years”.The monarch said he was in the state to sympathise with the Government and people over the banditry affecting parts of the state, as well as to condole with the Government, people and immediate family over the death of Alhaji Wada Maida.