The Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Godswill Akpabio, said on Tuesday that the new pension bill consisting of an annual N100m medical allowance for former governors and N50m for former deputy governors would put an end to endless medical bills by these individuals.
He stated that the bill was an amendment to the former governor and deputy governor pension law of 2006 and not a new law as being speculated in some quarters.
Akpabio said this through his Commissioner for Information and Communications, Aniekan Umanah, at a programme on Planet FM 101.1 in Uyo. The programme was monitored by our correspondent.
He maintained that the new law amended bill was in the interest of the state.
He said, “The bill is simply an amendment to the law enacted in 2006. It exists in several states of the federation. What the bill seeks to achieve is to put a ceiling to an endless medical expenditure.
“The old law didn’t put any cap on medical expenditure. There was no ceiling. But the governor in his own wisdom decided it is important we put a ceiling so that we don’t make it an open-ended any more.
“The governor is not seeking an amendment in his own interest rather it is in the interest of the state because if you leave expenditure open endless, it means you can spend close to N500m in one year without anybody stopping you since there is no law that puts a ceiling.
“People must also understand clearly that medical expenses provision is not a payment provolone. It is not as if you have access to it. There are procedures before you can get it.”
The Speaker, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Mr. Sam Ikon, said as long as Akpabio remained a governor, he was not entitled to benefit from the law.
He added that the bill was only an amendment to three clauses of the existing 2006 Governors and Deputy Governors Pension Law.
He condemned what he termed the politicisation of the new law by a section of the media and pointed out that the law is “just a third version of the second amendment to a law that had already existed.” Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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i am beginning to think all politicians are mad and inconsiderate. How can a man be paid a medical allowance of 50 - 100 million on account of being a Governor for 4 years, aside from pension and
ReplyDeleteother benefits. This is outrageous!!!
There are millions of people in the state who do not and can never earn 120 thousnad naira as annual take home. Haba our politicians should fear God, the voice of the voiceless.
I can categorically tell you that even directors who served the public for a meritorious f35 years cannot earn 2 million in pension.
If i were Godswill Akpabio, all i will do is APOLOGIZE to people across Nigeria, because, my personal opinion about him is that, he is one of the best governors we have around, if he did not see anything wrong in this amendment, then, he was lying from the on set about his integrity and honesty. how can you say "we are putting a ceiling on the amount"? so in other words, they have been spending more than 100 million Naira annually on medicals alone? thats an average of 8.5 million per month? please please and please let us kill corruption in Nigeria before it kills us. are you scared of retirement or what?
ReplyDeleteyou have set a record other future corrupt politicians will follow. thank you.
ReplyDeleteOf course it is not a new thing just like corruption is not a new thing in Nigeria. Politicians are used to corruption at any level. You did not think of retired civil servants who have not been paid their gratuities all over Nigeria. You leaders in Nigeria are selfish, greedy and self-centered. You did not think of how many mansions and estates those governors and their deputies have acquired before leaving office. How much money did they cart away to overseas for their children unborn?
ReplyDeleteI have said it time without number and i will continue saying it that all this POLITICIANS are the problem we have in this country, even when the military boy were around, they(politicians) were the one that shown them how to embezzled "maturely"(unlike their way which is-joro jara joro), they corrupted civil servant, the judiciary,the police,even the nigerian youth, they created MONSTERS (Boko haram,OPC,Bakassi boys etc) they feel threatened by unknown factor.
ReplyDeleteNow, look at "our" point of reverance(Akpabio,Akpabio, Akpabio, hmmmm),100m annually for medical(as if he(they) were diagnose for epilehivgonodiabaids(oyinbo).
I need answer to this, after serving this guys for "good,bad ugly" year (after all they didn't served us) they can still demands for outrageous medical bill?( assuming they put their state health sector in place).
No wonder "all" elections in Nigeria is a Do or Die affairs!!!