Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has condemned the
\nN300 million mansion retirement benefits for immediate past governor of
\nEdo State, Adams Oshiomhole, and his former deputy, Dr. Pius Odubu, and
\ncalled on governor Godwin Obaseki to \u201cimmediately withdraw the bill, and
\nuse the funds to clear the backlog of pension arrears spanning between
\nseven and 45 months.\u201d<\/p>\n
This followed reports of amendment of Law for Pension Rights of the
\nGovernor and Deputy Governor by the Edo State House of Assembly, with the
\nimmediate past governor and deputy governor expected to be some of the
\nbeneficiaries. The new amendment contains provision of residential
\nbuildings worth N200m and N100m for the governor and his deputy at the
\nexpiration of their tenures. The bill also provides that the buildings
\ncould be sited in any location of their choice.<\/p>\n
But in a statement dated 17 November 2016<\/span><\/span>, SERAP executive director \u201cThis so-called proposed legislation means that millions of Edo pensioners The statement reads in part: \u201cMany of the retirees whose pensions have not \u201cSERAP is aware that the Edo State government is not the only state \u201cNigerians should not be made to subsidise these bloated pensions and \u201cSERAP is appalled by this apparently unfair and discriminatory law. There Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has condemned the N300 million mansion retirement benefits for immediate past governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, and his former deputy, Dr. Pius Odubu,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19332,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-54549","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nAdetokunbo Mumuni said: \u201cComing at a time the Edo State government can\u2019t
\neven pay its pensioners and salaries of workers, the amendment by the Edo
\nState House of Assembly is immoral, unfair, unconstitutional,
\nunreasonable, and a rip-off on a massive scale. Governor Obasaki must
\nreject this grotesque bill if he\u2019s to fulfil his election promises and
\nlift millions of Edo State pensioners out of extreme poverty.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nand workers will have to fund the massive and unjust pensions for former
\ngovernor Oshiomhole and his deputy and others that will come after them.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nbeen paid have been evicted from their apartments due to their inability
\nto pay their rents\u200e. According to SERAP\u2019s information, one of such
\nretirees is Ihama Friday<\/span><\/span> who at 60 is now squatting with friends. Another
\npensioner Osa-Aighobarueghia who retired as a headteacher continues to
\nlive a life of debts because the Edo State government has refused to pay
\nher 30 months\u2019 pension benefits.\u201d<\/p>\n
\npassing such obnoxious pension laws to provide outrageous retirement
\nbenefits to former governors and deputy governors and that many of them
\nare already in the National Assembly receiving multiple benefits and
\nputting their personal bank accounts ahead of the common good. SERAP is
\nfinalising a comprehensive legal strategy to challenge these unjust laws
\nand to name and shame those who continue to benefit from such laws.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nclearly undeserved perks. Governor Obaseki should not see disadvantaged
\nNigerians and poor pensioners according to Orwell\u2019s Animal Farm dictum:
\n\u2018All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others\u2019.
\nApproving the amendment by the Edo State House of Assembly will amount to
\na fundamental breach of the governor\u2019s constitutional oath declaration to
\nserve the interest of justice, common good, transparency and
\naccountability.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nis absolutely no justification for such law at a time the pensions systems
\nacross the country are in poor shape, and pensioners continue to be denied
\nthe fruit of their labour. Former governors and their deputies can\u2019t
\nlawfully give to themselves a steady stream of public funds for life at a
\ntime millions of pensioners including in Edo State face cut to their
\npension schemes and remain in poverty without any state support.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"