States pay ex-govs, deputies jumbo pension, neglect workers

May 23, 2015

NLC president, Ayuba Wabba

Many governors have been paying the bogus pensions and other emoluments of their predecessors and their deputies while still owing workers in their states.

Saturday PUNCH learnt that the governors still pay their predecessors regularly in spite of the drop in the allocation from the Federation Accounts.

According to investigation by Saturday PUNCH, no fewer than two former civilian governors and deputy governors are still alive in many of the states.

Kogi State, for example, has two former governors and two deputy governors. A source in the state Ministry of Finance, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told one of our correspondents that former Governors Abubakar Audu; his deputy, Chief Patrick Adaba (1999-2003); Alhaji Ibrahim Idris; his deputy, Mr. Philip Salawu (2003-2012), are still getting their pension entitlements promptly.

However, civil servants in the state have yet to receive their April salary because of a dispute between the state government and the workers represented by the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress.

The state governor, Capt Idris Wada (retd.), had shortly before April 30 slashed salaries of workers on Grade Level 7 and above by 40 per cent.

But NLC rejected the development and asked the governor not to pay the remaining 60 per cent as April salary for workers.

The Congress added that the workers would take the 60 per cent of their salaries as a gift should the governor go ahead to pay it into their bank accounts.

Consequently, the state government could not proceed to pay the workers including commissioners and other political appointees.

Though local government authorities in the state have paid workers up to April, Saturday PUNCH learnt that the workers were paid a certain percentage of their salaries.

Only Okehi and Okene local government areas paid 60 per cent while Adavi local government area paid 45 per cent. Other local government authorities paid less. Ogori Magongo Local Government Area paid 37 per cent while Ajaokuta Local Government Area paid 30 per cent.

Kwara State has no fewer than three former governors and three ex-deputy governors, who also get their pension regularly.

Impeccable source said former Governor Cornelius Adebayo; his deputy, Alhaji Oba Temi, (October to December 1983); former Governor Shaaba Lafiagi (1992- 1993); a deputy governor, Simeon Sayomi (1999 -2003); Senator Bukola Saraki; his deputy, Joel Ogundeji (2003 -2011) were being paid their pension entitlements as captured in the state’s pension laws for ex-governors and deputies.

Saraki’s deputy, Ogundeji, confirmed to one of our correspondents in Ilorin during the week that he had been regularly and promptly receiving his pension entitlements.

Our correspondent gathered that civil servants and secondary school teachers had received their salaries up to date but primary school teachers and junior secondary school teachers have yet to be paid their April salary. It was also gathered that the local government workers have yet to receive their March and April salaries.

Similarly, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu was the governor of old Abia State between 1992 and 1993, while Chief Orji Uzor Kalu was the governor between 1999 and 2007. Of the three deputy governors that served Orji, one is dead, one was impeached while the third one served out with him till 2007.

According to investigation, the former governors also get their pensions.

The state Commissioner of Finance, Dr. Philip Ntoo, who confirmed the development to one of our correspondents in Umuahia, said, “It is a statutory obligation and we have been living up to expectation pending the availability of funds.”

Though the state government has consistently said that no worker in the core civil service is being owed salary arrears, workers in the parastatals complained of non-payment of salary arrears of between three and six months.

Workers in the Abia State Universal Basic Education Board said they were being owed for six months, while their counterparts in the Secondary Education Management Board complained of non-payment of four months’ salary arrears.

But the state government had claimed that the parastatals are creations of the law, hence they should source for funds to make up for their subventions to remain in business.

Saturday PUNCH furthers gathered that a former Rivers State Governor, Dr. Peter Odili, and his deputy, Mr. Gabriel Toby, were also being paid their monthly pension by the state government.

The state Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Chamberlain Peterside, confirmed this, saying: “The former governors and deputy governors are part of the pension payment and they have been getting their pensions.”

Oyo State, which was created in 1976, has three civilian former governors and many deputy governors. The former governors are Omololu Olunloyo (October 1, 1983 – December 31, 1983), Rashidi Ladoja (2003-2007), Adebayo Alao-Akala (January 2006-December 2006, 2007-2011).

The state Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Zaccheus Adelabu, said the ex-public office holders were treated like other pensioners in the state and were being paid their entitlements.

The Oyo State government presently owes the workers two month salary.

Also in Akwa Ibom State, Obong Victor Attah was the governor between 1999 and 2007. Attah had two deputies – Chris Ekpenyong (1999 -2003) and Michael Udofia (2003 -2007).

On the issue of pension to former governors, Attah confirmed that from the consolidated pay to former governors which include a driver, a cook, two security men and a personal assistant and himself, he receives a total of N1.3m every month.

Attah said, “There is pension for me and five staff which include the driver, the cook, two security men and one personal assistant. The total package for all of us is N1.3m per month. This is what I have been receiving monthly. But what I cannot tell is the breakdown for the amount for each category of staff.”

But former deputy governor Chris Ekpenyong declined comments on the pension.

Meanwhile, the state civil servants have said that the state government does not owe them.

Some of the workers, who spoke with one of our correspondents in Uyo during the week, said that the state government pays their salaries promptly.

The Chief Press Secretary to Head of Civil Service, Mr. John Offiong, said that the Akwa Ibom State government does not owe its workers.

Erstwhile Governor Achike Uzoma Udenwa and Mr. Ebere Udeagu became governor and deputy governor of Imo State between 1999 and 2007. They served for two terms of eight years. Their successors are Chief Ikedi Ohakim and his deputy, Mrs. Ada Okwuonu, who served the state between 2007 and 2011.

Speaking with one of our correspondents on the phone, Udeagu said that they had been receiving their pension until the last four months.

Governor Rochas Okorocha’s first deputy, Sir Jude Agbaso, is not entitled to any pension because he was impeached in April, 2013.

Workers in the state are in deep pains over non-payment of salaries for months. While some are owed four months.