Austerity measure: Kwara plans to stop pensions for Saraki, other ex-governors

THE Kwara State Government under Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq is moving to end pension payment to ex-governors.

Abdulrazaq said he would soon pass to the State Assembly a bill to repeal the law backing the pension payment to ex-governors and their deputies.

He disclosed this in a Friday statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye.

When passed into law, the bill is expected to affect former governors Bukola Saraki, Abdulfatah Ahmed and others.

The governor’s disclosure came a few days after the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu moved to implement a similar policy in the centre of excellence.

Kwara State House of Assembly had in 2011 passed the bill awarding pension to ex-governors and deputies who completed their tenure.

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq will next week send a bill to the State House of Assembly requesting the lawmakers to immediately repeal the law awarding pension packages to former governors and former deputy governors.

“The Governor has listened to voices of the majority of the citizens opposing the pension law for former governors and deputy governors. In line with his campaign mantra and as a product of democracy himself, he will be sending a bill to the House of Assembly next week requesting them to repeal the law.

“As representatives of the people, the lawmakers would exercise their discretion to call a public hearing on the topic to further harvest wider opinions on the topic.

“However, the Governor feels it is time for the law as it is to give way. He would rather commit scarce public funds to tackle the question of poverty and youth unemployment,” the statement read.

Governor Sanwo-Olu during a programme last week had advised his counterparts across the country to look at their expenditure profiles as chief executives of their states and ask themselves, what they could do away with so as to increase the revenue of their states or even make available more money for their states.

Barely a week after he gave the advice Sanwo-olu announced the repeal of pensions to former governors and deputies in Lagos states
Many states are also considering ending pension payment to ex-governors in light of dwindling resources.