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

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.

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