Gov. Bello Matawalle of Zamfara
state has revealed how former governor, Abdulaziz Yari, paid himself
N300million severance before leaving office in May.
Matawalle made the disclosure on
Wednesday while assenting to the repealed law in which past governors, deputy
governors, speakers of the state House of Assembly were supposed to collect
about a billion Naira annually.
He noted that “the repealed law
which was hurriedly passed by the immediate past administration of the state
did not take into account the social and economic realities of the state.”
Matawalle promised that his
administration would only pay allowances as provided by the Revenue and Fiscal
Mobilization Commission.
“I was shocked when I received a
letter from former governor Yari for the payment of the money that the failure
of which I learned, the former governor threatened my administration with a
court case.
“I called a meeting with my
deputy, as well as the speaker of the state House of Assembly and we all agreed
that we do not have any interest in such retirement allowance.
“The immediate past
administration in the state left behind pensions liabilities of local
government workers, primary school teachers and state civil servants amounting
to about N10 billion.
“Apart from other liabilities
such as promotion benefits, workers annual increment and the rest which have
put the state in a terrible financial quagmire.
“The immediate past governor Yari
is requesting the state government to pay him a whopping amount of N120 million
annually, made up of a monthly upkeep allowance of N10 million.
“The ex-governor, who recently
wrote to the state government in this regard, was also under the repealed law
supposed to be collecting the exact amount he was collecting as his monthly
salary while as governor which should continue for him for life as his pension.
“In addition to these, he is
supposed to get two vehicles to be bought by the State Government and
replaceable after every four years; free medical treatment for former Governor
and his immediate families and vacation within Nigeria and outside.
“Thirty days vacation within
Nigeria or outside Nigeria and a 5-bedroom house in any location of the choice
of the former Governor within the country,” he disclosed.
The governor further noted that
the law also extended similar largess to the former Deputy Governors, former
Speakers of the State Assembly, and former Deputy Speakers.
“If allowed thus, it will
overstretch the lean resources of the state at a time when the same people who
were supposed to pay the meagre amount as pensions to retired civil servants
refused to do so and handed them over as liabilities to the present administration,”
Mutawalle said.
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