Date: 2010-04-24

The Kwara State House of Assembly has passed into law the bill for the payment of pension of Governor and Deputy Governor of the State, just as consideration was given to the nine amendments made on the bill by Governor Bukola Saraki.

The passage of the bill was sequel to a unanimous decision of the lawmakers after a substantive motion by the majority leader, Hon. Ishola Balogun Fulani.

Governor Saraki, had before the passage of the bill, forwarded a letter to the House expressing his views which sought amendment of certain provisions in the said bill.

In the letter addressed to the Speaker, Alhaji Babatunde Mohammed, dated April 12 and endorsed by the immediate past Chief of Staff, Government House, Dr Ali Ahmad, Dr Saraki proposed nine amendments to the bill in which all but one were accepted and ratified by the House.

Governor Saraki had in the letter advised the House to extend entitlements under the payment of pension to all democratically elected Governors and Deputy Governors of the State since 1967 in line with the position of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA).

Also suggested was a reduction in the annual basic salary of the Governor and Deputy Governor to 50% of the annual basic salary of the incumbent Governor and Deputy Governor as posited by the NBA.

However, the House insisted on 100% as was originally stipulated in the bill, arguing that this was in accordance with standard practice the world over.

On the Governor or Deputy Governor who served only one term, Saraki suggested that provision of transportation should be limited to one personal car and one security car, rather than local transportation expenses. In addition, the beneficiary would also be entitled to one administrative officer and one personal secretary, being staff provision.

The House equally agreed with the Governor’s suggestion that two cars and one security car be provided for Governor and one car and one security for Deputy Governor that served for two consecutive terms as well as provision of security details at their residences.

The House concurred with Dr Saraki that annual vacation should not be part of the entitlement but maintained that provision be made for travel expenses for Governors for journeys within the country.

The Governor stressed that the idea of provision of a residential house in the Federal Capital Territory should be discarded by the House as opined by NBA.

However, the only suggestion turned down by the House had to do with the provision that a former Governor and Deputy Governor be paid the same annual salaries of the incumbent Governor and Deputy Governor as their pension allowance.

In his remark before the passage of the bill, the Speaker, Alhaji BAbatunde Mohammed said the legislature would continue to put into consideration the yearnings and aspirations of the common man in the discharge of its legislature duties.

The House, he said had done justice to the bill and maintained that it would enhance efficient service delivery as well as accountability in governance.

By this passage by the State Assembly, the bill for the payment of pension of Executive Governor and Deputy Governor has become a full-fledged law in Kwara State.
 

MAS’ UD ADEBIMPE
Chief Press Secretary to the Kwara State Governor
21/04/10