WAEC Government 2013 Theory — Question 4

Model answer

(a) Concurrent functions in a federation refer to those functions that the central government and the government of the component units can discharge or perform — i.e. they are items in the concurrent legislative list that both the central and component units of a federation can make laws on. Examples of such items are transportation, commerce, agriculture, education, health etc. However, in cases of conflict between the two items on the concurrent list, the laws of the central government will override those of the component units. (b) Features of a confederal system of government: I. In a confederal system, the central government is weak in relation to the government of the component units. This is because sovereign power is vested in the government of the component units. The central government is not made up of elected officials but delegates sent by the government of the component units. II. The component units maintain separate armed forces; therefore there is no common military in a confederal system. The governments of the component units also maintain separate police, currency and boundaries that do not overlap with the boundaries of other states. III. Under a confederal system, the component units have the right to secede from the union at any time they desire. They were not constitutionally bound to permanently remain in the union as in a federation. IV. The central authority of a confederal system deals only with the governments of the component units and not directly with the individual citizens of the component unit. Thus, citizens' allegiance is more to the component units than to the confederation. V. Confederating states remain autonomous and develop at their own pace.