The Lagos State House of Assembly has approved the report of its Committee on Establishment which recommended the reduction of the pension to former governors and other officials by 50 per cent. The committee also expunged the provision of providing houses in Abuja and Lagos for the former governors, as stipulated in an earlier law in the state.

The report reduced the number of vehicles to be made available to ex-governors and their deputies. Speaker Mudashiru Obasa suggested that former governors should get two vehicles – a car and a van – instead of three, as recommended by the committee. He also suggested that the amended Bill should provide that the cars be changed every four years, instead of the three years recommended in the report.

While some lawmakers called for an upward review of the pension for the affected public office holders by 75 per cent, others suggested that the pension remain as stipulated in the old law.

But Obasa argued that it should be left at 50 per cent, especially as the report had recommended the removal of houses and reduced other benefits.

According to him, a downward review of pension for the former governors and other affected government officials could be affected by inflation and other economic considerations.

The Speaker said the Assembly must meet the wishes of the people, one of which is a cut in the cost of governance.

Recalling the recent murder of the President of Haiti, Obasa said it was necessary to also protect former office holders.

He said: “By virtue of my office, I have seen former Speakers who we intervened in their lives because of the situations they found themselves outside office. We have also seen former governors in a very bad situation.

“We must realise that this is democracy, and it is all about the people. We are here because of the people. When we represent people, it is good for us to listen to them as well. We must realise that we would always go back to the people for support. So, when we hearken to their agitations and reduce what existed, it shows that we listen.”

Obasa added that his suggestion for further reduction of the number of cars was because “as you age, your needs continue to decrease”. Lawmakers who supported the committee’s report said it would impact positively the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

Source: The Nation