Consider socio-economic implications before creating additional states, Group urges FG

The African Youth Assembly for Peace (AYAP), an NGO, has urged the Federal Government to consider the socio-economic implications before embarking on plans to create additional states in the country.

Mr Abdul-Aziz Yusuf, Head of Communications of the group, said this in an interview with news men in Abuja on Wednesday.

Yusuf said the move to create additional states has significant implications on the country’s socio-economic and political dynamics.

According to him, this requires careful planning before its final consideration.

” Some of the reservations I have with this agitation for states creation are a situation that can lead to redistribution of the scarce resources.

”This is because creation of new states can certainly lead to a reallocation of resources, potentially resulting in a decrease in the revenue allocation of the existing states, as the new states will also require a share of national revenue” he said.

He also said, the creation of new states requires a legislative framework to govern its operations which can be challenging and time-consuming.

He therefore called on the relevant stakeholders to shelve the idea of creating additional states now, considering its numerous implications.

Supreme news reports that the National Assembly had earlier received a proposal for the creation of 31 additional states. This request, if granted, would make the country to have 68 states.