Akpabio: Pension Bill introduced to fight corruption

Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, on Friday said the Former Governor and Deputy Governor’s Pension Bill 2014, which has sparked controversies since its passage into law by the state’s House of Assembly, is meant to check corruption.

The bill makes provision for the governor and his deputy to be paid pension for life at the rate of their current salary, It is expected to take effect from June 01, 2014.

Fielding questions from Channels Television on Friday, Akpabio accused his “detractors” of master inding the critical public reaction, arguing that his administration has the interest of the state at heart and would only promote policies that would advance their cause.

“I swore an oath to do everything possible to bring the greatest good to the greater number of people in Akwa Ibom State. The Pension Bill law is meant to check certain excesses in the system,” he said.

“I wear the shoe and I know where it pinches. In my seven years as governor, most of the bills I have seen are very outrageous. I have seen bills from former governors and their deputy or their spouses. They bring bills and ask the government to pay no matter the cost, because the former law did not specify the amount to be spent.

“Past governors, deputy governors and their spouses have been benefiting from the law. When I saw the lacuna in the law, I had to go to the leadership of the House of Assembly … The current law is not retroactive, neither is it a new law. The law was passed in 200 and further amended in 2004.”

Akpabio explained that while critics of the law think that it was passed to safeguard his interest, he actually does not intend to be a beneficiary. He also said measures have been put in place to ensure that the money is judiciously spent.

“If you make a provision for a former governor and deputy or their spouses and they are not sick, the money goes back to the government. If they fall sick, the money will be sent to the account of the hospital and not their personal accounts,” he said.

“God’s willing, I may not even benefit from the bill after three years of leaving office. I think the confusion here is that people are thinking that the money will be given to Governor Akpabio every year. I don’t pray to be ill and I pray not to spend N1 out of that money.

“I know where the criticisms are coming from. The bill has been politicised. People are sponsoring all kinds of things in the media.”

Rt. Hon Sam Ikon, speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, also justified the bill, and the house decided to approve the bill in the interest of the state. He maintained that the amendment was meant to put a cost and check some excesses, and urged people to take politics out of this issue.

“The reaction of the public towards this law amazes me, and I think to a large extent, the intention is to mislead the public,” he said.

“I want people to, first of all, know that it is not a new law. What we did was to monetize the law, because the existing laws have some lacuna. When former governors and deputy governors make demands, the existing laws make provision for their request to be granted. So we decided to monetize this to avoid them from making outrageous demand.”