Lagos Assembly To Cut Former Governors Pension, Kick Off Former Speakers Pension

The Lagos State House of Assembly has begun the amendment of a law that provides for lavish pension benefits to former governors and their deputies, the speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, said Monday.

Speaking to journalists at an event to mark the second anniversary of the state’s eighth Assembly, Mr. Obasa said the amendment of the Public Office Holder (Payment of Pension) Law will save money for the state.

He said the private member bill is titled Public Office Holders (Payment of Pensions) Amendment Bill, 2016.

“The Bill has been read first time and awaiting second reading,” the Speaker said.

“The intendment of this bill is to save tax payers money while addressing the cost implication of some parts of the law.

“For instance, the law allows governors and the deputy to have a house each in Lagos and Abuja while both governor and the deputy are also entitled to six and five vehicles respectively. But with this amendment, both governor and the deputy will be limited to a house in Lagos where they served as well as have three and two vehicles respectively.”

Key beneficiaries of the law are the state’s most recent governors, Ahmed Tinubu, now a leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress, and Babatunde Fashola, currently Nigeria’s power, housing and works minister.

The controversial law, available in other states, was first put in place by the Tinubu administration.

The move by the lawmakers came more than two years after the seventh Assembly, led by Adeyemi Ikuforiji, first introduced the bill which sought to amend the existing law by including the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, in the lavish post-retirement benefits with proposals for extravagant life pension, accomodation, security and medical cover for the two officials and their families.

The Lagos State Public Officer Holder Law (2007) signed into law by Mr. Tinubu, also provides for the former governor and deputy governors 100 percent of annual basic salaries of the incumbent governor and deputy, furniture allowance of 300 percent of annual basic salary every two years, 30 percent car maintenance, 10 percent entertainment, 20 percent utility, and several domestic staff.

Mr. Obasa said the inclusion of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker in the amended law is to avoid the undermining of the legislature as well as not giving the Executive arm undue advantage “which could cause unnecessary rancour while safeguarding separation of power.”

“As such, it seeks to accord due recognition to the legislature, which is the symbol of democracy in the state, by allowing the speaker and the deputy speaker benefit in the payment of pension.”