Says their emoluments will cripple Lagos

By CLIFFORD NDUJIHE & ANOZIE EGOLE

LAGOS STATE Governorship Candidate of the National Conscience Party (NCP), Comrade Ayodele Akele,is not happy with the huge cost of governance in the state, which he said is hampering delivery of democracy dividends and abolition of poverty, the motto of his party.

Specifically, he is piqued by the huge severance package and pension scheme of the governor and deputy governor, he has vowed to abolish, if elected because it is scandalous and cannot be sustained.

Apart from the Lagos State Governor and Deputy Governor Pension Law of 2007, Akele said another package has been worked out for the Speaker and Deputy Speaker.

Speaking at a news conference in Lagos, Akele said: ”Lagosians must know this; the obnoxious law, in its original form as provided for the former Governors and Deputy Governors is a criminal and scandalous legacy in the greedy expropriation of the scarce resources of Lagos State. Specifically, this unprecedented and indeed most lucrative pension in the world under ‘progressive’ APC Lagos state provide for payment of pensions and other fringe benefits to former Lagos state Governor and Deputy Governor in Lagos state details the provision of stupendous money and other benefits that ensure a perpetual though undeserved life of luxury for former governor and deputy governor on the bills and resources of Lagos state sadly in midst of abject poverty among Lagosians.

”Lagosians must therefore shine their eyes and see the highlight of what a former Governor and Deputy Governor are scheduled to earn for life after just eight years of service… Former governor is entitled to six new cars every three years and a house in Lagos and another in Abuja. A house in Lagos will cost N500 million and Abuja N700 million. The former governor and family (spouse and children-both married and unmarried) are entitled to free medical, not capped. The ex-governor is entitled to a cook, steward gardener and other domestic staff. Others include:

100% Annual Basic Salary of incumbent governor and same for the deputy governor. This is to be reviewed every five years where there is salary review of the political office holders by the revenue mobilization allocation and fiscal commission.

Both the former governor and his deputy get 300 per cent of their annual basic salary as furniture allowance.

The two also get 30 per cent of their annual basic salary for car maintenance.
They collect 10 per cent of their annual basic salary for house maintenance.

And another 10 per cent of their annual basic salary for entertainment.

Twenty percent of their annual basic salary is for utility while personal assistants appointed by them is to collect 25 per cent of their respective annual basic salary.

” The above outline is in addition to one residential house for the former governor and deputy governor at any location of their choice in Lagos state and one residential house in the federal capital territory for the former governor.

Tinubu and Fashola

”Further to be provided for the former governor is three cars, one pilot car and two back-up cars. The cars are to be replaced every three years. Meanwhile, his deputy’s fleet is provided with two cars plus one pilot car and one backup car. Added to these is a full complement of domestic staff, all of them schedule to draw life pension from state coffer.

”The public office holders pension law or political office holders whatever it is called lacks moral, ethical and good governance justification. We can’t yet phantom why an erstwhile political office holder who presented himself for public office on the assumed inspiration of serving the people, would now design a life after office that directly competes with his time in office. Do we then assume that life after office for the governor and his deputy is a substantive office of state?

So, what then would be the situation in another 50 years going forward calculating on assumption of subsequent governors spending two terms in office, translated, Lagos state would be burdened with the task of providing for eight former governors and about 16 former deputies. Where as obtained now, a deputy only gets to serve one term in office, now, the cost to the state purse won’t be less than 30 per cent total value of state’s expenditure. Just on a few citizens of the state with questionable performances in office. Generations yet unborn will not forgive this.”
Among other things, Akele said he would abolish the Thursday environmental sanitation in markets, which he said is enslaving market men and women.

“ We are going to stop the harassment of market women in Lagos by KAI and task force every Thursday. We are going to abolish this weekly environment sanitation it is modern way of enslaving people. We are going to employ better ways of going about the whole thing,”he said