Akwa Ibom’s pension plan

THe amendment of the Akwa Ibom State  Governors and Deputy Governors Pension Law has stirred controversies but only outside the state. The unions and opposition parties are apparently not bothered by the enhancement of the perks and privileges of former governors and deputy governors of the state.

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR

Some have argued that the provision of a reasonable pension would be an effective bulwark to governors stealing their states blind while in office.

That was an argument that was passionately put forward two years ago when the Rivers State House of Assembly put forward the pension bill for the state’s governors and deputy governors.

The bill was given support by some Riverians at that time on account of what they considered as the unparalleled achievements of Governor Rotimi Amaechi in such sectors as education, healthcare and agriculture among others.

“By guaranteeing the incumbent governor a juicy life outside office, the governor would not be tempted to steal,” those who supported the bill at that time said. It looked apt for Amaechi who at that time was not known to have any landed property within or outside the country.

The reservation that followed the reception of that bill pales to the outrage that has followed the enactment last Monday to an amendment bill to the Akwa Ibom Pension Provisions for governors and deputy governors.

The pension bill entitled Akwa Ibom State Governors and Deputy Governors Pension Bill, 2014 is an amendment to the original bill first passed during the days of the immediate past governor of the state, Obong Victor Attah.

Besides the provisions of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMFAC which is empowered by the constitution to make provisions for all entitlements for public office holders, the bill adds certain provisions into the bill that would in a year add almost put N200 million annually in comfort allowance to former governors of the state per annum.

The amendment bill follows the original bill first put forward in 2001 by Governor Attah. Attah it was learnt was moved to push forward that bill at the instance of his deputy at that time, Obong Chris Ekpenyong. Ekpenyong according to sources was moved by the living conditions of the former governors of the state, particularly the first civilian governor of Akwa Ibom, the now late Obong Akpan Isemin.

Under the provisions of the bill the governor and the deputy governor are entitled to 100 per cent of their current salaries for life, the governor is entitled to a new official car and a utility car every four years, a personal aide and security to be provided for by the state for life.

Medical allowance

The governor is also entitled to N5 million monthly as allowance for domestic aides, while his deputy would be entitled to N2 million. Besides the governor is entitled to a medical allowance of N100 million per year for himself and his wife while the deputy would get a medical allowance to a limit of N30 million per annum.

The bill also provides that all former governors of the state should be entitled to  ”a befitting house not below a 5-bedroom maisonette in either the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja or Akwa Ibom State for the Governor and a yearly accommodation allowance of 300 percent of annual basic salary for the deputy governor; (300 percent of the deputy governor’s basic salary is N6, 336,645).

“Provision of furniture allowance of 300 percent of annual basic salary once in every four years; (A total of N6, 671,115 for the governor and N6, 336,645 for the deputy)

“Provision of yearly maintenance and fueling of vehicle allowance of 300 percent of annual basic salary; (A total of N6, 671,115 for the governor and N6, 336,645 for the deputy)

Severance gratuity

“Provision of severance gratuity allowance of 300 percent of annual basic salary as at the time the officer leaves office; (Another N6, 671,115 for the governor and N6, 336,645 for the deputy)

“Provision of yearly utility allowance of 100 percent of annual salary; (with the governor taking N2, 223,705 while his deputy takes N2, 112, 215)

“And provision of entertainment allowance of 100 percent of annual basic salary; (Another N2, 223,705 for the governor and N2, 112, 215 for the deputy).”

The passage of the bill has been flayed in several quarters. A move by the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC in Akwa Ibom State to mobilize the public against the bill before the passage last Monday fizzled out.

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) was vehement in its opposition to the bill describing it “as immoral, unfair, unconstitutional, unreasonable, and a rip-off on a massive scale.”

“Akwa Ibom must be the only place on the planet where such pension scheme exists. The governor must now put Akwa Ibom ahead of his own personal bank balance by immediately withdrawing this grotesque bill,” SERAP said in a statement issued yesterday.

“Nigerians should not be made to subsidise these bloated pensions and clearly undeserved perks. The governor obviously views disadvantaged Nigerians and poor pensioners according to Orwell’s Animal Farm dictum: ‘All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others’. Signing the bill into law will amount to a fundamental breach of the governor’s constitutional oath declaration to serve the interest of justice, common good, transparency and accountability.”

“This so-called proposed legislation means that millions of Nigerian who continue to suffer from years of pervasive corruption and impunity of perpetrators will have to fund the massive and unjust pensions for Governor Godwill Akpabio and his deputy and others that will come after them.”

“SERAP is appalled by this apparently unfair and discriminatory law. There is absolutely no justification for such law at a time the pensions systems across the country are in poor shape, and pensioners continue to be denied the fruit of their labour.

The governor cannot lawfully give to himself a steady stream of public funds for life at a time millions of pensioners including in Akwa Ibom face cut to their pension schemes and remain in poverty without any state support. This initiative obviously undermines the professed fight against corruption by the President Goodluck Jonathan government,” the organization also said.

Dr. Amadu Atai, state chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC in his reaction to the passage of the bill distanced himself from what he called as nasty comments against the governor concerning the bill.

“It is not for Akpabio, it is for all the governors and deputy governors of the state and it is made to protect our leaders after they have served. When you see our leaders not doing well after they have left office, it is not something to be desired,” Atai said.

He, however, questioned the provisions for the governor against the provisions for the deputy governor and the benchmark of three years provided for in the bill which stipulated that deputy governors must have served for at least three years.

The APC chairman’s assertion was against the background of suspicions that the bill was targeted to fence out the immediate past deputy governor of the state, Mr. Nsima Ekere who served for two years before he voluntarily resigned. (Vanguard)

Akwa Ibom’s pension plan