By Inalegwu Shaibu
THE Senate Committee on Federal Character, yesterday said it would not consider N1.2 billion proposed for former heads of government in the 2011 budget.

Chairman of the Committee, Senator Smart Adeyemi, during a meeting with officials of the Office of the Secretary General of the Federation, said he would not present the report to the Senate for approval because “the past leaders are too comfortable to get extra benefits.”

He said, “My conscience will not allow me to champion it. I feel that the past leaders are more than comfortable to request all this. In a situation where there are a lot of unemployed graduates roaming the streets and threatening a revolution, rather than give this money to them, we should use it to generate employments.”

A new law passed by the National Assembly made provisions for the upkeep of former presidents, including military heads of states, their wards and spouses until the death of the last surviving relatives.

But Senator Adeyemi who had strongly opposed the passages of the act, argued that the past presidents “do not deserve to get all that because they are very comfortable and have mismanaged Nigeria.”

He told the past leaders to sacrifice the retirement benefits for the development of the country having failed to do so while in power.

“Tell them to sacrifice, the hospitals have no drugs, the roads are bad, there is no electricity, and most graduates are unemployed,” Adeyemi said.

Permanent Secretary, General Services in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Taiye Haruna, while defending the budget of the Office, said that the benefits for the ex-presidents include a 5-bedroom duplex in any city of their choice within Nigeria, allowance for their staff, and three vehicle to be replaced after every three years.

The ex presidents are also given medical treatment abroad and a luxurious treat whenever they are in Abuja.

According to the law which was recently amended, these past leaders shall be paid an amount recommended from time to time by the Revenue and Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission and approved by the national assembly as up-keep allowance in addition to the pension entitlement under the 1999 constitution.

This upkeep entitlement is expected to be reviewed (upwards) from time to time but subject to the approval of the National Assembly.

There is also a provision in the bill which entitles the family of deceased ex presidents and vice presidents to an annual payment for upkeep of his spouse(s) and education of his children up to university level. However, this spousal upkeep allowance will cease the moment the last spouse of the deceased passes on.

The law however restricts anybody who has held two offices that are eligible for the perk to only one – the highest of those offices which s/he has held in order of national precedence.