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Tag: Life Pension

  • Why Enugu State House of Assembly stepped down controversial ex-governors life pension bill

    Why Enugu State House of Assembly stepped down controversial ex-governors life pension bill

    Enugu State House of Assembly has stepped down the controversial life pensions Bill for former governors, their deputies and spouses.

    The stepping down of the Bill came after public outcry about the jumbo packages contained in it for the beneficiaries.

    The Bill sought to appropriate at least 900 per cent of a governor’s annual salary as his monetary entitlements every year after leaving office.

    The wife of the governor would also have gotten N12 million as annual medical allowances provided she was married to the governor while in office.

    Apart from the N12 million provided for a former governor’s wife as annual medical allowance, both ex-governor and ex-first lady will also receive free medical services until death.

    The Bill guarantees to cover almost any possible major expenses an ex-governor could incur in his or her life, including financial responsibility for burial.

    Its Section six states: “where a former governor or former deputy dies, the state government shall make adequate arrangement and bear the financial responsibility for his burial.

    “It shall also pay a condolence allowance of a sum equivalent to the annual basic salary of the incumbent to the next of kin.’’

    Section Four provides for “such other gratuity or allowances as may be provided by any other law” as may be entitled to a former governor other than what was stated in the Bill.

    In addition to the lifetime annual basic salary (ABS) for an ex-governor, there is also a house maintenance allowance, an annual salary for five domestic staff and a vehicle allowance, each valued at 300 per cent of the ABS.

    It provides three vehicles for the ex-governor to be replaced every four years as well as a personal assistant on salary Grade level 14.

    There are also similar provisions for former deputy governor who get 200 per cent of their ABS each for house allowance, vehicle allowance and annual salary for three domestic staff.

    The former deputy governor will also get two vehicles to be replaced every four years, free medical services for him and his wife as well as N6 million medical allowance for the latter.

    Enugu State was only able to generate N12.2 billion as revenue in the first half of 2020.

    Soon as the Bill passed through the first reading at the House of Assembly last Thursday, the Save Enugu Group (SEG) a socio-political group issued a 21-day ultimatum to the State House of Assembly to kill it.

    Its National Coordinator, Chief Willy Ezugwu, said in a statement that the lawmakers must kill the Bill immediately for peace and tranquillity in the state’s political arena to be sustained.

    He stated that SEG was already mobilising “conscious citizens, civil society groups and labour unions in the state to shut down Enugu State House of Assembly for as long as it will take to kill the most insensitive Bill’’.

    “It is shocking that while a state like Lagos, with high internally generated revenue that runs into billions of naira monthly, has abolished pensions for former governors, the Enugu State House of Assembly allowed such a Bill to pass first reading,’’ Ezugwu added.

    Other stakeholders in the state shared the views of the SEG and called for the killing of the Bill.

    At plenary session on Tuesday, Speaker of the House, Chief Edward Ubosi, said the Bill was not the making of the seventh Assembly but had existed since 2007, adding that the 1999 Constitution as amended, gave backing for such legislation.

    Ubosi said the stepping down of the Bill would help his colleagues to thoroughly go through it to enable them to delete as well as add necessary sections to it.

    According to the speaker, the public should have allowed the lawmakers to study the Bill, which just passed through the first reading last Thursday.

    He noted that former governors serving as senators would not benefit from the pension scheme, while the spouse of the former governors would also not benefit from the scheme since the Constitution did not recognise the spouses.

    Earlier, the Leader of the Assembly, Mr Ikechukwu Ezeugwu, expressed shock at the level of protest that followed the presentation of the Bill, which he said was not necessary.

    The leader said that the public could not dictate nor teach the lawmakers how to do their job of enacting laws for the growth and development of the state and warned members of the public to mind their utterances.

    Ezeugwu noted, however, that the Assembly would be guided by the opinions of their constituents in the consideration of the Bill and added that it would hold a public hearing to allow members of the public to make their inputs.

    He maintained that the seventh Assembly was “not a rubber stamp’’.

    Ezeugwu stressed that the lawmakers were also not elected by their constituents just to be collecting salaries and other allowances without making laws that would better the lot of Enugu State.

  • Reject life pension for Bayelsa lawmakers, SERAP tells Dickson

    Reject life pension for Bayelsa lawmakers, SERAP tells Dickson

    Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent an open letter to Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State urging him to use his “good offices as trustee of the state’s resources, and consistent with your constitutional oath of office, to reject the proposed life pension bill by the leader of the House of Assembly Peter Akpe, and to prevail upon the House to immediately withdraw the self-serving bill.”

    The House had last week passed a bill that would grant life pensions to speakers, deputy speakers and other members. Under the bill, speakers will go home with N500,000 monthly, while deputy speakers will receive N200,000. 24 other members will each get N100,000. The House is seeking life pensions for members similar to those “applicable to former presidents, vice-presidents, governors and deputy governors across the country.”

    But reacting, SERAP said: “Public officials have a legal commitment to discharge a public duty truthfully and faithfully. Should you assent to the bill as proposed, SERAP will institute legal proceedings to challenge the legality of the legislation and ensure full compliance with constitutional provisions and Nigeria’s international anti-corruption obligations.”

    In the letter dated 26 April 2019 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization said: “The bill amounts to an incorrect and improper performance of public functions. It’s clearly an abuse of legislative functions by the lawmakers. Rather than sponsoring bills that would improve access of children in Bayelsa to quality education, the lawmakers are taking advantage of their entrusted public positions to propose a bill to collect large severance benefits.”

    According to the organization: “The lawmakers are clearly the major beneficiaries under the proposed legislation. Therefore, by passing the life pension bill, the lawmakers of Bayelsa State House of Assembly have violated the constitutional and international prohibitions on conflicts of interest.”

    The letter read in part: “The people of Bayelsa would expect you, as their governor, to use your entrusted public office to act in the public interest, including by rejecting the life pension bill and prevailing upon the House of Assembly to immediately drop the bill.”

    “Conflicts of interest as well as perceptions of such conflicts would undermine public confidence in the integrity and honesty of not only the Bayelsa State House of Assembly but also your government, if urgent action is not taken to prevail upon the House to drop the outrageous bill.”

    “SERAP notes that Bayelsa State has in recent years received trillions of Naira from the federation account. Yet, according to the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), over 265,000 Nigerian children lack access to basic education in the State. The public funds that would be spent to pay life pensions to the lawmakers could be well used to address the problem of growing rate of out-of-school children in the state.”

    “It is forbidden for any public official including lawmakers to engage in self-dealing, and place him/herself in a position of conflicting interests and to hold incompatible functions or illicitly engage in providing to him/herself emoluments deemed unacceptable, unconstitutional and illegal.”

    “In the Seventh Schedule to the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 (as amended), you commit to strive to ‘preserve the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy contained in the Constitution, [and not to] allow my personal interest to influence my official conduct or my official decisions’. You also commit to: protect and defend the constitution, and to ‘do right to all manner of people according to law [and to] devote myself to the service and well-being of the people of Nigeria’.”

    “Constitutional oath of office requires public officials including lawmakers to abstain from all improper acts, including passing the life pension bill, that are inconsistent with the entrusted positions and the overall objectives of the Constitution. We believe that a false oath lacks truth and justice. The oath statements require the oath takers to commit to uphold and defend the Constitution.”

    “Under the bill, former lawmakers, including persons of Bayelsa origin who served in the old Rivers State, would enjoy life pensions for ‘their services’ in the state as applicable to former presidents, vice-presidents, governors and deputy governors across the country.”

    “It is estimated that hundreds of lawmakers will benefit from the life pension proposed legislation, which will invariably cost Bayelsa State at least N20 million taxpayers’ money monthly. This amount will increase in subsequent years.”

    “SERAP believes that the action by the lawmakers is entirely inconsistent and incompatible with the object and purpose of the UN Convention against Corruption, to which Nigeria is a state party and which implicitly prohibits large severance benefits for public officials such as members of Bayelsa State House of Assembly.”

    “The convention, which is binding on all states of the federation, specifically in paragraph 1 of article 8 requires the lawmakers to promote integrity, honesty and responsibility in the management of public resources.”

  • Bayelsa APC urges Gov. Dickson to withhold assent on ”Life Pension Bill’

    Bayelsa APC urges Gov. Dickson to withhold assent on ”Life Pension Bill’

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa has called on Gov. Seriake Dickson to withhold his assent to the proposed Life Pension for lawmakers in the State House of Assembly because of its adverse economic consequences.

    Making the appeal in a statement on Thursday in Yenagoa, the party dvised the governor to yield to public opinion by withholding his assent to the bill when it is transmitted to him.

    The 24-member Assembly dominated by 22 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members on Wednesday hurriedly passed the pension bill for current and past members.

    The Bill proposed a monthly pension of N100,000 for members while the Speaker and Deputy Speaker will be entitled to N500,000 and N200,000, respectively.

    But the APC rejected the planned law being pushed by the House of Assembly prescribing monthly post-service life pensions of between N100,000 and N50,000 for members of the state legislature.

    The party has also observed that the obnoxious bill, which was proposed and passed by the House on April 24, has provoked public outcry.

    The statement signed by APC’s spokesman in the state, Mr Doifie Buokoribo, described it as self serving and provocative and a display of insensitivity to public opinion.

    “APC Bayelsa completely rejects this life pension bill for members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly. The party described the bill as unjust, ungodly and self-serving.

    “It is unsympathetic for members of the House of Assembly to seek to enhance their own lives at the expense of the vast majority of Bayelsa people living in pain and penury,” he stated.

    Buokoribo described the life pension bill as an unspeakable crime against the people of Bsyelsa.

    “APC has been at the forefront of efforts to enthrone a regime of better life for the people of Bayelsa State. And we have led a robust opposition to the current system of anti-people governance in the state for close to eight years.

    “Regarding this latest move by the House of Assembly, we again say that the idea is avaricious, wicked and insensitive.

    “By proposing such a law, the lawmakers have merely portrayed themselves as a people who feel no concern for the feelings of their suffering constituents.

    “They have once again confirmed that they are in cahoots with the executive in the serial impoverishment of the people of Bayelsa State.

    “APC advises the legislature to withdraw the obnoxious pension bill and avoid the appalling crime against the people of Bayelsa State.

    “In the event of the legislature’s refusal to heed this solemn advice, we appeal to Gov. Seriake Dickson, if he is still in touch with his essential humanity, to refuse assent to the pension bill when it is transmitted to him.

    “Failing this, the party calls on the people of Bayelsa to embark on a campaign of peaceful resistance against the rogue assembly and the poverty regime of Governor Dickson,” Buokoribo said.

  • APC kicks against life pension for Bayelsa lawmakers

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State has kicked against a bill passed by the House of Assembly awarding life pensions to lawmakers.

    The party described the bill as unjust, ungodly and self-serving, saying it had set the public pulse racing.

    Publicity Secretary Doifie Buokoribo said it was unsympathetic for the lawmakers to seek to enhance their own lives at the expense of the people living in pain and penury.

    Buokoribo described the life pension bill as an unspeakable crime against our people. According to him, the party was making efforts to enthrone a regime of better life for the people of Bayelsa.

    He said: “We say this latest move by the House of Assembly is avaricious, wicked, and insensitive. By proposing such a law, the lawmakers have merely portrayed themselves as a people who feel no concern for the feelings of their suffering constituents.

    “They have once again confirmed that they are in cahoots with the executive in the serial impoverishment of the people of Bayelsa State.

    “APC advises the legislature to withdraw the obnoxious pension bill and avoid the appalling crime against the people.

    “If the legislature refuses to heed this solemn advice, we appeal to Governor Seriake Dickson, if he is still in touch with his essential humanity, to refuse to assent to the bill when it is transmitted to him.

    “Failing this, the party calls on the people to embark on a campaign of peaceful resistance against the rogue assembly and the poverty regime of Governor Dickson.”

  • Sue ex-govs now senators, ministers over N40bn double pay, life pensions, SERAP tells FG

    Sue ex-govs now senators, ministers over N40bn double pay, life pensions, SERAP tells FG

    Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent an open letter to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN urging him to use his “good offices as a defender of public interest, and exercise your powers under Section 174(1) of the Constitution of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), to urgently institute appropriate legal actions to challenge the legality of states’ laws permitting former governors, who are now senators and ministers to enjoy governors’ emoluments while drawing normal salaries and allowances in their new political offices.”

    The organization also asked Mr Malami to “seek full recovery of over N40bn of public funds that have so far been received from those involved; and to begin to take these steps within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter, failing which SERAP will institute legal proceedings to compel the discharge of constitutional duty and full compliance with Nigeria’s international anti-corruption obligations and commitments.”

    In the letter dated 14 July 2017 and signed by SERAP executive director Adetokunbo Mumuni the organization said that, “Public interest is not well served when government officials such as former governors, deputies supplement their emoluments in their current positions with life pensions and emoluments drawn from their states’ meagre resources and thereby prioritising their private or personal interests over and above the greatest happiness of the greatest number.”

    The letter read in part: “SERAP considers double emoluments for serving public officials unlawful, as the laws granting those benefits take governance away from the arena of public interest, and creates the impression that former governors acted contrary to the best interests of the general public. Double emoluments and large severance benefits for former governors now serving public officials constitute a blatant betrayal of public trust.”

    “SERAP is concerned that several serving senators and ministers are receiving salaries and life pensions running into billions of naira from states that are currently unwilling or unable to pay their workers’ salaries. Public office is a public trust, and as such, citizens depend upon their governors, senators and ministers to act in the public interest, not for their own or another’s profit or benefit.”

    “Under the UN Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a state party, it is forbidden for any public official to engage in self-dealing, and place him/herself in a position of conflicting interests, and to hold incompatible functions or illicitly engage in providing to him/herself emoluments deemed unacceptable under international law. This is a clear case of the former governors placing their private or personal interests over and above their entrusted public functions, and unduly influencing the level of benefits they receive.”

    “SERAP argues that taking advantage of entrusted public offices and positions to enact laws to grant double emoluments and large severance benefits to serving public officials amounts to not only an abuse of office but also incorrect, dishonourable and improper performance of public functions, as per the provisions of paragraph 2 of article 8 of the convention.”

    “By signing such double emoluments and large benefits laws which they knew or ought to know that they would be beneficiaries, these former governors have abused their entrusted public functions and positions, and thereby obtained an undue advantage, contrary to article 19 of the convention.”

    “The double emoluments and large severance benefits laws also violate the conflicts of interest provisions of the convention. The fact that these laws are signed by former governors in the exercise of their functions as public officials and now benefiting from the entitlements under such laws while serving as senators and ministers raises serious conflict of interest issue under paragraph 5 of article 8 of the convention.”

    “We believe that the current Code of Conduct for Public Officials Act is outdated and entirely inconsistent and incompatible with the object and purpose of the UN Convention against Corruption, which requires Nigeria to adopt a comprehensive code of conduct for the performance of public functions and implicitly to prohibit double emoluments and large severance benefits for public officials such as former governors.”

    “SERAP notes the resolution of the UN General Assembly to the effect that every state has the duty to carry out in good faith its obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law, and it may not invoke provisions in its constitutions or its laws as an excuse for failure to perform this duty.”

    “As such, your government is mandated to challenge the legality of double and large emoluments states’ laws and bring them in line with Nigeria’s international obligations including under the convention. This position is buttressed by article 27 of the Vienna Convention on the Laws of Treaties, which provides that no state can justify the noncompliance with an international treaty with reference to internal law, including even the Constitution.”

    “The UN Legislative Guide to the convention provides that where there are gaps between national laws (including constitutions) and international obligations, states must meet more onerous standards of integrity, honesty and responsibility among their public officials. SERAP is seriously concerned that conflicts of interest, as well as perceptions of such conflicts, undermine public confidence in the integrity and honesty of high-ranking public officials.”

    “According to our information, those who currently receive double emoluments and large severance benefits from their states include: Dr. Bukola Saraki (Kwara); Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (Kano); Kabiru Gaya (Kano); Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom); Theodore Orji (Abia); Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa); Sam Egwu (Ebonyi); Shaaba Lafiagi (Kwara); Joshua Dariye (Plateau), and Jonah Jang (Plateau). Others include: Ahmed Sani Yarima (Zamfara); Danjuma Goje (Gombe); Bukar Abba Ibrahim (Yobe); Adamu Aliero (Kebbi); George Akume (Benue); Ms Biodun Olujimi (Ekiti); Enyinaya Harcourt Abaribe (Abia); Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti); Chris Ngige (Anambra); and Babatunde Fashola (Lagos).”

    “SERAP notes that under the Lagos Pension Law a former governor will enjoy the following benefits for life: Two houses, one in Lagos and another in Abuja estimated to cost between N500m and N700m. Others are six brand new cars replaceable every three years; furniture allowance of 300 percent of annual salary to be paid every two years, and a close to N2.5m as pension (about N30m pension annually); free medicals including for his immediate families; 10 percent house maintenance; 30 percent car maintenance; 10 percent entertainment; 20 percent utility; and several domestic staff.”

    “In Rivers, state law provides 100 percent of annual basic salaries for ex-governor and deputy, one residential house for former governor anywhere of his choice in Nigeria; one residential house anywhere in Rivers for the deputy, three cars for the ex-governor every four years; two cars for the deputy every four years; 300 percent of annual basic salary every four years for furniture; 10 percent of annual basic salary for house maintenance.”

    “In Akwa Ibom, state law provides for N200m annual pay to ex-governors, deputies; pension for life at a rate equivalent to the salary of the incumbent governor/deputy governor respectively; a new official car and utility-vehicle every four years; one personal aide and provision of adequate security; a cook, chauffeurs and security guards for the governor at a sum not exceeding N5m per month and N2.5m for the deputy governor. Others are: free medical services for governor and spouse at an amount not exceeding N100m for the governor per annum and N50m for the deputy governor; a five-bedroom mansion in Abuja and Akwa Ibom and allowance of 300 percent of annual basic salary for the deputy governor; 300 percent of annual basic salary every four years and severance gratuity.”

    “Similarly, the Kano State Pension Rights of Governor and Deputy Governor Law 2007 provides for 100 percent of annual basic salaries for former governor and deputy; furnished and equipped office; a 6-bedroom house; well-furnished 4-bedroom for deputy, plus an office; free medical treatment along with immediate families within and outside Nigeria where necessary; two drivers; and a provision for a 30- day vacation within and outside Nigeria.”

    “In Gombe State, there is N300 million executive pension benefits for the ex-governors. In Kwara State, the 2010 law gives a former governor two cars and a security car replaceable every three years; a well-furnished 5-bedroom duplex; 300 per cent of his salary as furniture allowance; five personal staff; three State Security Services; free medical care for the governor and the deputy; 30 percent of salary for car maintenance; 20 per cent for utility; 10 percent for entertainment; 10 per cent for house maintenance.”

  • Enugu Assembly approves life pension for ex-governors, deputies

    Enugu Assembly approves life pension for ex-governors, deputies

    ‎The Enugu State House of Assembly has approved payment of life pensions to former governors and their deputies in the state.


    This followed the passage of the amended gubernatorial pensions bill of 2015 and other matters connected therewith by the Assembly


    The law, however, has a proviso that the governor or the deputy must not be impeached to earn such life pensions.


    Before the bill was passed into law, the leader of the House, Hon. Ikechukwu Ezeugwu who presented the executive amended bill, noted that the amended bill sought to give a life-time pension to politically elected governors and their duties, who were not impeached out of office.

    Ezeugwu said that the amendment had become necessary to accommodate governors that had helped to develop the state from the old Anambra State and the old Enugu State, as well as the present politically elected governors in the new Enugu State.

    Contributing, Hon Paul Nnajiofor, Nkanu East, said that the amended bill was long overdue.

    “This law as amended will give our respected and revered elder statesmen their due and appreciate them for the immense contribution to the development of the state,’’ Nnajiofor said.

    Hon. Mary Ugwu, Enugu South Rural, said that the amended bill would make future governors and their deputies to serve with dedication and transparency.

    “It will have enduring effect on Chief Executives of the State, thus, making them to serve meritoriously, knowing that they have something to fall back on tomorrow after office,’’ Ugwu said.

    Later, the Speaker, Mr Edward Ubochi, thanked the lawmakers for doing a good job and seeing to the timely passage of the amended bill into law.

    “The reason for passing this amended bill is to allow citizens of Enugu State, who have served this state as governors in Old Anambra and Old Enugu to receive a pension.

    “This will make them be like and feel like others and also reap from the benefit of their immense contributions to the development of the present Enugu State,’’ Ubochi said.

    In a related development, the Leader of the House, Ezeugwu, also presented a bill seeking for the amendment of the Establishment of the Universal Basic Education Board Law 2005 and Matters Related Therewith.

    Ezeugwu, explained that the bill presented for its 2nd reading, seeks to confer supervisory role of the board on the governor or the commissioner.

    The speaker, after the 2nd reading, however, referred the bill to the committes on education, judiciary as well as ethics and privileges to make inputs.

    Also, the amendment bill seeking to amend the Enugu State Education Law was read for the 2nd time.

    The Speaker, however, referred it to the committee on education and gender affairs, stating that: “The two committees should also oragnise a public hearing on the matter and conclude their work on the bill within three weeks’’.