REVEALED: Pensions of Nigerian ex-governors (1)
If you think being a governor is very rewarding, wait until you become an ex-governor ─ you instantly become a state liability for doing virtually nothing. You continue to collect salaries called pensions; you get new cars every now and then; your medical bills are taken care of for life; you are entitled to a full complement of domestic staff; and an untold world of goodies.
The Governors and Deputy Governors Pension Law 2014 recently passed by Akwa Ibom State house of assembly has opened the eyes of Nigerians to what ex-governors and ex-deputy governors are enjoying. The law has generated so much controversy and outrage, forcing Governor Godswill Akpabio to propose an amendment which the state house of assembly has agreed to effect.
But what is happening in other states of the federation? In the first part of a special report on ex-governors’ pensions, TheCable dissects the provisions in three states: Akwa Ibom, Lagos and Rivers.
Akwa Ibom: N100m for medical
The law in Akwa Ibom, which was first passed in 1998, provides free medical treatment for ex-governors, their spouses, ex-deputy governors and their spouses. Until the controversial amendment that was done in April, there was no cap for the expenses. The law said “free medical treatment”. In effect, an ex-governor could spend N500 million or more on medical per year. With the amendment, however, a former governor and spouse could not spend more than N100 million a year, and a former deputy and spouse a maximum of N30 million. Widows/widowers of former governors are entitled to N12 million a year, while those of deputy governors would get N6 million.
THE BENEFITS
Annual Basic Salary: 100% of annual basic salaries of the incumbent governor and deputy.
Accommodation: One house not below 5-bed maisonette in either Abuja or Akwa Ibom for the former governor; 500% annual basic for the deputy.
Transport: One car and one utility car every four years for ex-governor and deputy.
Furniture: 300% of annual basic salary every four years.
House maintenance: Nil.
Domestic staff: Amount not above N5 million for ex-governor and N2.5 million for ex-deputy to employ cook, chauffeurs and security.
Medical: Free treatment and spouse not exceeding N100 million per year for ex-governor; N30 million per deputy (this provision will soon be reverted to “free” without limit following outcry).
Security: “Adequate” (not specified).
PA: One.
Car maintenance: 300% of annual basic salary.
Entertainment: 100% of annual basic salary.
Utility: 100% of annual basic salary.
Drivers: Amount not above N5 million for ex-governor and N2.5 million for ex-deputy to employ cook, chauffeurs and security.
Severance gratuity: 300% annual basic salary.
Lagos: 6 new cars every 3 years, houses in Lagos, FCT
The Lagos State Governor and Deputy Governor Pensions Law of 2007 provides one of the most lucrative pensions in the federation. The highlight is that the former governor is entitled to six new cars every three years and a house in Lagos and another in Abuja. Conservatively, a house in Lagos will cost N500 million and one in Abuja N700 million. The former governor and family (spouse and children ─ both married and unmarried) are entitled to free medical which is not capped. Another highlight is that the ex-governor is entitled to a cook, steward, gardener and other domestic staff who are pensionable.
THE BENEFITS
Annual Basic Salary: 100% of annual basic salaries of the incumbent governor and deputy.
Accommodation: One residential house in Lagos and another in FCT for the former governor; one residential house in Lagos for the deputy.
Transport: Three cars, two back-up cars and one pilot car for the ex-governor every three years; two cars, two back-up cars and one pilot car for the deputy every three years.
Furniture: 300% of annual basic salary every two years.
House maintenance: 10% of annual basic salary.
Domestic staff: Cook, steward, gardener and other domestic staff (no limit) who shall be pensionable.
Medical: Free medical treatment for ex-governor and deputy and members of their families (not just spouses).
Security: Two SSS operatives, one female officer, eight policemen (four each for house and personal security) for the ex-governor; one SSS operative and two policemen (one each for house and personal security) for the deputy.
PA: 25% of annual basic salary.
Car maintenance: 30% of annual basic salary.
Entertainment: 10% of annual basic salary.
Utility: 20% of annual basic salary.
Drivers: Pensionable (no limit to number of drivers).
Severance gratuity: Not specified.
Rivers: 3 new cars every 4 years
The Rivers State Pensions for Governor and Deputy Governor was passed in 2012. For all the wealth of the state, the conditions are a bit modest. A former governor is entitled to just one house “anywhere in Nigeria” and three new cars every four years. There will be free medical care (no cap) for the former governor and deputy and their families ─ which cover both married and unmarried children. Interestingly, like Lagos, there will be a cook, steward and gardener but unlike Lagos, they are not pensionable.
THE BENEFITS
Annual Basic Salary: 100% of annual basic salaries of the incumbent governor and deputy.
Accommodation: One residential house for former governor “anywhere of his choice in Nigeria”; one residential house anywhere in Rivers for the deputy.
Transport: Three cars for the ex-governor every four years; two cars for the deputy every four years.
Furniture: 300% of annual basic salary every four years “en bloc”.
House maintenance: 10% of annual basic salary.
Domestic staff: Cook, steward, gardener and other domestic staff (no limit) who shall be non-pensionable.
Medical: Free medical treatment for ex-governor and deputy and members of their families (not just spouses and no cap).
Security: Two SSS operatives, four policemen (two each for house and personal security) for the ex-governor; one SSS operative and two policemen (one each for house and personal security).
PA: 25% of annual basic salary.
Car maintenance: 30% of annual basic salary.
Entertainment: 10% of annual basic salary.
Utility: 20% of annual basic salary.
Drivers: Non-pensionable (no limit to number of drivers).
Severance gratuity: Not specified.
Are we going to fold our arms, watch while greedy men continue to have their way. This can’t happen in else where and poverty stricken populace will not do anything. I believe it’s time we taken our destinies in our hands. This can’t continue
Explains why Nigerian politics is do or die, and why there is a recycling from same families that were in power before. They know what’s in it, n the impunity with which our leaders can extort us n be protected by the law, cronies, lethargic citizenry n often compromised law enforcement agents.
Also explains why there are no comments as everyone is queuing, not complaining, nor commenting but hoping that God will do a miracle in their lives. Mcheeeew!
The often unpredictable n ballooned unpredictable medic expenses for unstated mistresses n love children also quietly but adversely affeects our budget. We spend about 85% Of our budgets on less than 1% of the privileged few.
Heaven helps those who help themselves. Expose more of these please n let’s fight it out. Hans!
It is an unthinkable insanity for a mortal mind to have configured such a huge retirement package for himself because he had served as State Governor. Gov. Akpabio is someone I have so much regards for, and for him cooking these types of post-tenure packages for himself and his family, I think he has acted in bad faith. I just hope the rubber stamp house of assembly in Akwa-Ibom State will not sheepishly fall for this. Other Governors should not emulate an undignified greed of our Uyo bros.
You are getting it all wrong. The law had always been in existence in Akwa Ibom. If anything, Akpabio tried to put a cap to a law which made Ex Governors entitled to unlimited sums in the name of Medicals. He proposed an ammendment which will limit medicals for Ex Govs to N100m and Deputy to N30m. Thats by far better than the old law. What do you say?
How much were the states spending before Akpabios’s “limit”? even if you go abroad for surgery every month, you cant exhaust N50Mn. It is a shameful demonstration of gluttony by perverts. How many civil servants make N50Mn in all their career working years plus plension andterminal pay. All these after four / eight years of looting, God must judge.
I just hope Adey is not responding to my comment? Those who are on the payroll of Akpabio should learn to tell the truth. Ex Governor’s medical expenses that would gulp N100million per year should rather kill him because such personality may have just become a liability to the State he had vibrantly served.
Tinubu as out-going governor of Lagos started this greedy trend. BRF must now show his value for posterity by abrogating the law and propose a modest law.
In other countries, it takes far less than this to cause a revolution. It is disgraceful that this is happening, and even more disgraceful that Nigerians would take this on their chin, as it war, and do nothing. It is most disgraceful that this Newspaper, The Cable, is trying to make it look like some of the sins are more pardonable than others.
This set of people are going into excesses because they think the electorate are DUMB…
Of course the electorates are dumb
those in the know should inform us what our ex-presidents and deputies take;will not be surprised if an exec jet plane every 4 years is in the package. i am curious
That is why they are dying mysteriously. We don’t have NLC in place anymore.
These law are man made, put down by selfish people. The law is over rated actually, in Nigeria, the law only legalises injustice