Saviola, YVGGI seeks end to pensions for ex-governors and their deputies across Nigeria

...commends Imo state government for abolishing pensions for ex-governors, speakers

Youth Vanguard for Good Governance International (YVGGI) has called on the Houses of Assembly across Nigeria where former governors and their deputies as well as Speakers and their deputies receive hundreds of millions annually as pensions to abolish the law.

The eminent youth group made the call through its President, Ambassador Saviola Godwyn in a statement made available to newsmen on Friday.

The youth leader emphasised that four to eight service years as governor is unworthy of life pension, especially considering what the governors acquired while in office through their influence, as well as their new retirement benefit as political officeholders.

“In fact, giving them jumbo pension amounts to mismanagement of resources that could be used productively for infrastructure development in the affected states.

“Moreover, majority of them are already billionaires and millionaires.

“But since they were unable to be considerate with the level of poverty and lack of social amenities in those states, it is advisable for the Houses of Assembly in all the concerned states to abolish the jumbo pension laws for ex-governors and their deputies. They should work towards implementation of the new minimum wage instead,” the group stated.

Former governors are drawing billions as retirement allowances from state governments while pension arrears of retired workers have continued to accumulate.

"Investigations in various states showed that while the former governors and their deputy governors, and some states speakers and their deputies are receiving billions of Naira yearly as allowances, retirees are being owed arrears for several months or years.

Findings showed that the bogus pension packages of the former governors are contrary to what is approved by the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

Charged with the responsibility of approving salaries of political functionaries in the country, the commission approved payment of 300 per cent basic salary as severance allowances for political office holders at the end of their tenure."

YVGGI commended the Imo House of Assembly for passing the law to end pensions for ex-governors and their deputies as well as ex-speakers and their deputies. Terming it a "right step in the right direction".

The group gave kudos to the Imo state governor Sen. Hope Uzodinma who has signed the bill into law as it will save the state hundreds of millions of Naira annually as such funds are needed to build infrastructure, human capacity development among other people-oriented projects. They also admonished the governor to put state funds to good use and checkmate the high level of looting of state resources.

Also recall that last year, Zamfara state passed similar law to an pension for ex-governors and their deputies.

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