Rewane also argued that the country currently spends excessively on administration.
By Kehinde Okeowo
Economist and Managing Director of Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Bismarck Rewane, has suggested that states in Nigeria will have to be merged in order to become viable.
He made this known on Wednesday while featuring as a guest on a Channels TV programme, ‘Politics Today’.
According to him, Nigeria cannot sustain the current 36 states structure because it is too expensive to manage.
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He further argued that the country spends excessively on administration and advised politicians to consider returning Nigeria to the regional state structure practiced after the independence in 1960.
Speaking during the interview, Rewane said, “Nigeria cannot afford to have 36 states. It’s unviable. We spend too much money administering.
“This country is twice the size of California in terms of geographical space, and the number of people administering this country in terms of 774 local governments, 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT. Managing what?
He added, “Take for instance, the old Western region is now split into several states being managed by governors, commissioners, special assistants and the likes. I think you have to rethink to restructure, whether you will go back to regionalism or not.”
