Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio has signed into law the Amended Pension Bill for former governors and former deputy governors as well as their spouses. Its implementation begins on June 1.
Akpabio, who signed the bill in the Governor’s Office, said: “The essence of the law is to streamline and avoid excesses of finances and to be prudent in the management of our resources.
“The Constitution has empowered us to make the laws. So, we have today made the pension law for ex- governors and ex-deputy governors. This law was made in 2000. It was amended in 2006 and is now amended again in 2014.
“The essence of this amendment was for certain categories, because workers such as cooks, drivers, among others, were employed by the ex-governors and ex- deputy governors with a non-financial benchmark.
“All workers of the ex-governors should not earn more than N5million annually and all staff of the ex-deputy governors should not earn more than N2 million annually.
“No ex-governor can spend more than N100 million in a year for medical expenses and no ex-deputy governor can spend more than N50 million for medical expenses, because such extra money would not be spent by the state government, because we are making sure that we cover all the loopholes of financial wastages.
“Widows of ex- governors would receive a minimum of N1 million monthly for medical expenses and N500,000 medical expenses for the widows of ex- deputy governors.”
Akpabio hinted that the law also covers those who also served in the old Cross River State, stating that the law is to bring sanity into the state’s spending, which he said had been misinterpreted by the public.
He thanked the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Sam Ikon and members for the mature manner they handled the amended bill.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has described the bill as criminal and fraudulent.
Speaking at a briefing in Uyo, the state capital, yesterday, the party’s State Publicity Secretary, Samuel Udobong, said the bill was not in the interest of low income earners.
Udobong said the speed with which the bill became law had confirmed the speculations that lawmakers were “influenced” by Akpabio.
His words: “It reveals and confirms the gap between the government and the people.
“Citizens are wallowing in hunger and deprivation, seeking simple bailouts of food, shelter, clothing and jobs.
“The government engages in scheming to steal the commonwealth, become richer and widen the gap that exists between the rich and the poor.
“This is dangerous and we strongly condemn it. Therefore, we call on Akwa Ibomites to continue to rise against this law and insist that it is reversed.
“The government is yet to pay primary school teachers and other retirees their gratuities.
“What is due to those folks is just pittance compared to the monthly income of the governor and the government.
“The House has not addressed the needs of these citizens who have given 35 years of their lives to the service of the state.
“It gives credence to our long held position that this government is naïve and insensitive.
“ It knows no shame and cares very little about what people think or feel about it.” Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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ReplyDeleteAt last Akpabio Bows, Writes Assembly, Demands Repeal Of Controversial Pension Law
The controversy which followed the newly enacted Akwa Ibom Pension Law for former Governors and Deputy Governors was Tuesday put to rest as the initiator of the amendment, Governor Godswill Akpabio, in deference to misinterpretations of the good intention of government has sent a bill to the State House of Assembly requesting a review of the law, a government statement announced Tuesday. Read More @ http://blog4all-com.blogspot.com/2014/06/akpabio-bows-writes-assembly-demands.html