Oshiomhole’s pension and houses
Last week, just few days after the end of the tenure of Adams Oshiomhole as governor of Edo state, the State House of Assembly quickly amended the pension’s law of the state, providing the former governor and his deputy generous retirement allowances and houses. The bill titled, “A bill for a law to amend the 2007 Pension Rights of the Governor and Deputy Governor Law” was speedily approved by a committee of the whole house. The only amendment to the pension rights of the governor and deputy was for the duo to enjoy residential buildings worth N200 million and N100 million in any location of their choice in Nigeria.
According to the bill with the subhead titled, “provision of a house” a house shall be built in a location of choice in Nigeria for the former Governor provided that the total cost of building the house shall not be in excess of 200 million naira while 100 million naira for the deputy governor. Other benefits to be enjoyed by the governor are, a pension for life at a rate equivalent to 100 percent of his last annual salary in addition to an officer not above salary grade level 12 as Special Assistant, a personal secretary not below grade level 10 who shall be selected by the former governor from the public service of Edo state. He is also entitled to have two cooks, two armed policemen as security, three vehicles to be bought by the State Government and liable to be replaced every five years, three drivers who shall be selected by the former governor and paid by the state government as well as free medical treatment for the governor and his immediate family.
On the other hand, the deputy governor was entitled to 100 percent of his last annual salary as pension, a personal staff not above salary grade level 12 as Special Assistant, a personal secretary not below grade level 09 who shall be selected by the former deputy governor from the public service of the state, a cook, two policemen as security. Also approved for him include, two vehicles to be bought by the state government and liable to be replaced every five years, two drivers who shall be selected by the former deputy governor and paid by the state government and free medical treatment for him and his immediate family.
This is not surprising. Politics and public office in this clime is not public service but a means of self-enrichment. But enriching themselves while in office is no longer enough; these greedy politicians railroad their plaint legislators to approve mouth-watering pensions, houses, privileges and benefits post-office to rival anything current office holders earn. One would have thought that the “comrade” governor, as he asked to be called, would have been different. One would have thought that he will be a true comrade and identify with the masses and people of Edo state, who have had to endure very tough times due to shrinking federally distributable revenues, the economic recession in the country and the galloping inflation making nonsense of the people’s earnings. But alas, like others before him, Oshiomhole has shown that in matters of personal welfare, he is a typical Nigerian politician: greedy, rapacious and insatiable. The extent of his insatiable greed was obvious when, with just days out of office, his lackeys in the House of Assembly quickly approved far more than the already generous and obnoxious pension provisions just for his enjoyment. And, of course, his successor, also his boy, has no option than to sign the bill into law. So much for this comrade governor!
But we fear that the rapacious nature of our politics will drive the poor masses to extremities and soon, the politicians and their middle class collaborators will be unable to sleep or drive on the streets because of the frustrations of the people. Sadly, even innocent and hardworking people who have made their money through self-application and dint of hard work will also fall victims of ‘hellish’ society our public officials are creating.