Former governors are exerting pressure on the finances of state governments with pension payments and other entitlements draining billions of naira every year from developmental funds for the states. The fact that the pension of some governor is almost half their state’s Federal Allocation for a month. Although, most of these ex-governors and their deputies are holding another office at the National Assembly.
Over N37.367 billion was, according to Vanguard findings, expended on servicing 47 former governors from 21 sates in pension payments and provision of houses, staff and vehicles replaceable between three and four years.
Payment of pension to former governors over a four-year cycle are highest in Bauchi, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Lagos states with former governors drawingN23.18 billion, N2.795 billion, N2.043 billion and N1.606 billion respectively over four years.
The payments are in many cases besides provisions for medical expenses for the former chief executives which run into hundreds of millions per former chief executive.
The pension payments and other entitlements drawn by the governors are irrespective of the prescription of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC providing 300 per cent severance for the governors as stated in the Certain Political Office Holders and Judicial Officers Remuneration Act. Under that act, former governors are like lawmakers entitled to 300% of their basic salary of N2, 223,705 amounting to N6,671,115 as severance pay.
Besides the cash payments, some states, including Cross River, Kwara, Lagos, Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Ebonyi, Kano, Zamfara and Sokoto States have also recommended the payment of the basic salaries of the incumbent governors as yearly pension payments to their former governors. The version of the governors’ pension law in Kwara State which came into effect in 2010 states that the former governor shall be entitled to two cars and a security car, replaceable every three years, a well-furnished 5-bedroom duplex, furniture allowance of 300 per cent of his salary; five personal staff, three DSS operatives, free medical care for the governor and the deputy, 30 per cent of salary for car maintenance, 20 per cent for utility, 10 per cent for entertainment, 10 per cent for house maintenance.
The creation of the law regarding the pension as well as the clause that allows a serving public office to receive pension from their previous positions was a flaw in the legislature that needs to be revisited. However, since the flaw directly benefits these national lawmakers they are very reluctant to revisit and readjust these laws to portray fairness.
Ahead of the 2015 presidential election, General Muhammadu Buhari as candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, had promised to use moral suasion to compel the governors to amend the provisions of the pension law on the ground that they were unsustainable.
If the National Assembly can subject the Code of Conduct Beaureu and the Code of Conduct Tribunal under the senate then there should be no gray areas in the area of modifying Section 2 (a) Section 4 (b) Section 14 (a) (b) and follow the dictates of the Section 173, Section 210 of the 1999 Constitution which is regarding Federal Government Officials.
It is only moral and justified that any governor who is presently serving in the senate or in the House of Reps should forfeit their pension from their former office. Source: http://integritywatchdog.com
