The Lagos State Government and other states who set to abolish pensions to Ex- Governor’s, and their deputies has further shown that the likes of Sanwoolu’s are apparently listening to public outcry and discourse over continuous empowerment of Ex-Trillionaire Governor’s at the expense of the poor masses.
If it’s not a greed and symptoms of corruption Ex-Governor, deputies across Nigeria states who had benefited legally and illegally from spoiled of office for good 8 years in most cases will not coerced some
rubber stamp state Assemblies lawmakers to approve such laws for their narrow interest while poverty and hunger abound in the land.
The words shame and morals are not in the lexicon of top Nigerians leaders and politicians. Some of them have moved to the ‘Next level’ from Governor’s and deputies to the upper and lower Chamber of the
National Assembly and Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria drawing fat salaries and others benefits. Yet, they receive pensions alert and benefits in their respective States while others are suffering and smiling.
Sanwoolu’s and his likes has taken bold step geared towards blocking several leakages for proposing an Executive order to abolish pensions payment to Ex- Governor’s and deputies.
Lagos State set the precedent for the pension law enactment in 20017 that enabled well over 20 states in Nigeria to do “Copy and paste” of the anti-masses law. Consequently, other the other gregarious states should follow Lagos State footsteps by repealing the law in the interest of the public without further ado.
Another critical angle that attention must be paid to is the grassroots where non council staffs, elected or appointed personalities received monthly pensions or payments from Local Government purses out of the little funds meant to provide poverty alleviation, basic education and conducive learning environment,
motorable roads and Primary health among others.
Ironically, Some serving elected and appointed officials on Government payroll reportedly benefits from the official looting of council treasury as a form of political patronage.
Without adding any value to local government development and grassroots some are on monthly payroll collecting between 100k, 250k, 500k, and 1M monthly. Some beneficiaries get this money even from up two to four Local governments separately in a state.
If it comes birthday, burial and weddings majority of the Local government chairmen who are not accountable to the people on their monthly Joint allocation they received from Abuja donates as big as ₦5M to ₦10M to Political leaders in order to be seen as “Good party man.”
The legislative Arms and Councilors saddled with the responsibility of monitoring the Government has been subjected to intimidation, harassment and political threats.
The Councilors are also at the receiving end of some Chairmen abuse of office, misappropriation and corruption. However, sacrificed their responsibility matrix on the altar of commitment and loyalty to the party without respecting and scared of the electorates, thumb.
“A BAD SYSTEM DOESN’T APPEAR WRONG TO THOSE WHO BENEFIT FROM IT. THEY DO EVERYTHING TO DEFEND IT TO THE DETRIMENT OF LARGER SOCIETY.”- Rita Dominic.
Rita quote rightly explained the rot at the Local Government level which contributed to the lack of accountability and Transparency on how Public funds are utilized.
Going back to President Muhammadu 2015 first term inaugural speech. He expressed the pulse of Nigerians on the decay at the across 774 LG’s and promised to fix it. However, it appeared he was later
frustrated by state governor’s who are enablers of the systemic corruption at the tier of Government with impunity.
Another attempts to help the end receiver, the grassroots through the Nigeria’s Financial Intelligence Units (NFIU) was thwarted by Governor’s forum through litigation. More so, the Local government Chairmen emerged either by selection, imposition, election neither Savage the worsen situation because their loyalty
are to their benefactors; Godfathers, thugs and hooligans rather than the masses as result of votes that seems no longer counting for a Chairman to be elected. If votes counts, Local Government Chairmen we fear the electorates, worship them than how they worship their Godfathers, thugs or good boys.
In summary, grassroot politicians, who has been benefiting from Local Governments purse from time immemorial should take a cue from The National Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and
former governor of Lagos State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who threw his weight behind the abolition of pension that also affected him personally by rejecting the Bogus Haram monthly payments from the Local Government Chairmen.