New pension law: Executive, legislature in dance of shame in Akwa Ibom

The administration of Godswill Akpabio is said to have, to a large extent, provided the democracy dividends to the people of the state. The quantum of infrastructure development in the state under the current administration has drawn both the local and international attention.

The Midas touch, which Akpabio has brought to bear on the state, has earned him several recognitions and awards from across the country, including those from some national media houses they chose him as their “Man of the Year”.

President Goodluck Jonathan was reported to have lavished commendation on Akpabio during one of his visits to Akwa Ibom because of a multi-billion underground drainage system embarked upon by the state government. The President had openly acknowledged the project as the first of its kind in Africa.

“One of the projects that are quite interesting to me is the drainage system. I think this is the first time I have seen that kind of drainage system, and I believe it must be one of the firsts in the whole continent of Africa,” Jonathan was quoted as saying.

Akpabio is currently on the last lap of his tenure as governor of Akwa Ibom State. He mounted the saddle in 2007 and is expected to exit the seat in 2015 after he must have completed his two tenures which is only a few months from now.

Akpabio’s state is one of the most privileged that harvests several billions of Naira on monthly basis as a result of its oil wealth. This is excluding the internally generated revenue (IGR). In fact, its takings from the federal purse ranks highest, followed by Rivers, Delta and Bayelsa.

The superlative record of performance being posted by Akpabio and the accolades won as a result may be threatened by the obviously wrong step which the governor has currently taken, which is drawing flaks from various quarters.

Since last week when the news broke over the enactment to an amendment bill to the state pension provisions for the governors and deputy governors, reactions have been profuse. The Pension bill entitled Akwa Ibom State Governors and Deputy Governors Pension Bill, 2014 is an amendment to the original bill that was passed during the administration of Victor Attah.

Recall that when in 2012 the Rivers State House of Assembly came up with a pension bill for the state governors and deputy governors, the lawmakers had told critics that it was a step to discourage such categories of political office holders from stealing public funds while in office.

 Some of them had argued then that with the assurance of a reasonable package outside office, the state governors and their deputies would not entertain any fear of tomorrow, which many people say is responsible for the looting spree by some public office holders.

Some of those who supported the bill at that time also justified it on the basis that the incumbent Governor Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi has done relatively well in the areas of healthcare and education.

In a move that has caused adrenaline rise in many people, the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly had last Monday enacted an amendment bill to the Akwa Ibom Pension Provisions for governors and deputy governors. By Wednesday, the bill had become law, having been signed by the governor. It comes into effect from today (June 1, 2014).

While signing the bill into law, the governor said: “The essence of the law is to streamline and avoid excesses of finances and to be prudent in the management of our resources.”

According to him, “The Nigerian constitution has empowered us to make the laws. So, we have today made the pension law for ex-governors and ex-deputy governors. This law was made in the year 2000. It was amended in 2006 and is now amended again in 2014. The essence of this amendment was for certain categories because staff like cooks, drivers, among others, were not gotten by the ex-governors and ex-deputy with a non-financial benchmark.” 

As the governor noted, the pension bill is an amendment to the original bill first passed during the administration of Victor Attah.

But Akpabio’s explanation on the propriety of the new pension law may not have done much to douse the tension the development generated.

The Akpabio’s new pension law is besides the provisions the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMFAC) has made for public office holders.

 The amazing harvest

Under the new pension law, Apabio and his deputy are entitled to 100 percent of their current salaries for life. He is entitled to a new official car and a utility car every four years; a personal aide and security to be provided for by the state for life.

Akpabio is also entitled to N5 million monthly as allowance for domestic aides, while his deputy gets N2 million. The governor is also entitled to a medical allowance of N100 million per year for himself and his wife while the deputy would get a medical allowance to a limit of N30 million per annum.

Moreover, all former governors of the state are entitled to “a befitting house not below a 5-bedroom maisonette in either the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja or Akwa Ibom State for the governor and a yearly accommodation allowance of 300 percent of annual basic salary for the deputy governor; (300 percent of the deputy governor’s basic salary is N6, 336,645).

“Provision of furniture allowance of 300 percent of annual basic salary once in every four years; (A total of N6, 671,115 for the governor and N6, 336,645 for the deputy)

“Provision of yearly maintenance and fueling of vehicle allowance of 300 percent of annual basic salary; (A total of N6, 671,115 for the governor and N6, 336,645 for the deputy)

A huge severance gratuity

“Provision of severance gratuity allowance of 300 percent of annual basic salary as at the time the officer leaves office; (Another N6, 671,115 for the governor and N6, 336,645 for the deputy)

“Provision of yearly utility allowance of 100 percent of annual salary; (with the governor taking N2, 223,705 while his deputy takes N2, 112, 215)

“And provision of entertainment allowance of 100 percent of annual basic salary; (Another N2, 223,705 for the governor and N2, 112, 215 for the deputy).”

Condemnation trails the bill passage

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has taken a swipe at the development in Akwa Ibom, describing it as “immoral, unfair, unconstitutional, unreasonable, and a rip-off on a massive scale.”

According to SERAP, “Akwa Ibom must be the only place on the planet where such pension scheme exists. The governor must now put Akwa Ibom ahead of his own personal bank balance by immediately withdrawing this grotesque bill.

“Nigerians should not be made to subsidise these bloated pensions and clearly undeserved perks. The governor obviously views disadvantaged Nigerians and poor pensioners according to Orwell’s Animal Farm dictum: ‘All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others’. Signing the bill into law will amount to a fundamental breach of the governor’s constitutional oath declaration to serve the interest of justice, common good, transparency and accountability.”

The statement signed by Adetokunbo Mumuni, the group’s executive director, further said: “This so-called proposed legislation means that millions of Nigerian who continue to suffer from years of pervasive corruption and impunity of perpetrators will have to fund the massive and unjust pensions for Governor Godwill Akpabio and his deputy and others that will come after them.

“SERAP is appalled by this apparently unfair and discriminatory law. There is absolutely no justification for such law at a time the pensions systems across the country are in poor shape, and pensioners continue to be denied the fruit of their labour.

The governor cannot lawfully give to himself a steady stream of public funds for life at a time millions of pensioners including in Akwa Ibom face cut to their pension schemes and remain in poverty without any state support. This initiative obviously undermines the professed fight against corruption by the President Goodluck Jonathan government.”

An analyst who asked not to be named told our reporter that it was a dangerous precedent that must not be allowed to sail through.

The analyst said: “What is coming out from Akwa Ibom is very odious. It simply goes to confirm the widely held belief that Nigerian politicians lack integrity and self respect. How on earth can anybody justify such rascality with public funds. I should expect that the civil society organizations should without delay march to Akwa Ibom State to protest the inhuman pension law. This is a state many of its indigenes are in other states slaving it out to eke out a living. Does the governor know the implications of what he has done? Why do we behave like animals in this part of the world? Can Barracks Obama, for the fact that America is a wealthy nation make such a senseless request? These guys just think they have come to the world to stay eternally. It is unfortunate.”

Analysts also accused the governor and the state House of Assembly of being petty and of mischief by inserting a caveat in the bill which excluded Nsima Ekere, the former deputy to Akpabio who voluntarily resigned.

The passed bill stated that a deputy governor would only be entitled to the largesse if he/she served for at least three years.

The pundits questioned the rationale for arriving at that benchmark against the open ticket given to any governor no matter how short the tenure might be. 

Zebulon Agomuo