The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), a civil society organisation, has described the decision by the Lagos state assembly to reduce the pension paid to former governors by 50 percent as “hypocritical and selfish.”
HEDA, in a statement signed by Olanrewaju Suraju, its chairman, said the reduction was a breach of an earlier commitment and original bill submitted to the assembly by the Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, to entirely abolish pension payments to former governors.
On Thursday, the Lagos house of assembly had approved a 50 percent reduction of pension paid to the former governors.
Mudashiru Obasa, the house speaker, had suggested that former governors should get two vehicles (a car and a van) instead of three as recommended by the committee.
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He also said the cars should be changed every four years instead of the three years recommended by the committee.
HEDA asked the state governor to withhold his assent to the bill by the assembly proposing less than 50 percent reduction of pensions to former governors.
“We are shocked by the hypocritical and selfish decision of the State House of Assembly to reduce the package for the former State Governors rather than approving the proposal as sent by the State’s executive,” HEDA said.
“The truth of the matter is that having served the state for between four to eight years, with their salaries and emoluments paid apart from a string of perks and privileges including unquestionable security votes, it is ridiculous that the public will continue to shoulder their personal needs after they have left the office.
“The decision of the Lagos State House of Assembly is unilateral and even amounts to crying more than the bereaved. There were no consultations with the public. The elected members did not hold any discussion with the electorate. There was a kangaroo public hearing on the floor of the house. This is not a popular decision but a step taken to please their political godfathers.
“The country is facing declining economic glory. Hunger and starvation are ravaging the land. It is ridiculous that what the elected officials are thinking of is the special economic protection for former governors.”
HEDA asked the government to concentrate on providing stimulus packages that can create more jobs and address the growing youth unemployment which threatens the livelihood of millions of people in the state.
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