Lagos States Ends Pension For Governors, Deputies
LAGOS State on Tuesday unfolded plans to repeal the public officials’ pension law which grants certain benefits to former elected governors and deputy governors.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who gave the hint during his 2021 budget presentation to the House of Assembly, said he would send an Executive Bill to scrap the law because the entitlements were not sustainable due to financial constraints.
The N1.155 trillion budget was christened: “Budget of Rekindling Hope.”
The governor said the repeal of the law would reduce the cost of governance and foster the spirit of selfless service.
He said: “In the light of keeping the costs of governance low and to signal selflessness in public service, we will be sending a draft Executive Bill to the House immediately for the repeal of the Public Office Holder (Payment of Pension Law, 2007), which provides for payment of pension and other entitlements to former governors and their deputies.
“It is our firm belief that with dwindling revenues and the apparent inflationary rates, we need to come up with innovative ways of keeping the cost of governance at a minimum while engineering a spirit of selflessness in public service.”
The pension law was passed by the House of Assembly in 2007. Other states, including Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Kwara, have also copied the law, which rights groups have criticised.
Former governors who are entitled to the benefits under the law are Alhaji Lateef Jakande (1979-1983), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu (1999-2007), Mr. Babatunde Fashola (2007-2015), and Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (2015-2019).
The ex-deputy governors are Alhaja Sinatu Ojikutu (1991-1993), Senator Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele (1999-2002), Mr. Olufemi Pedro (2002-2007), Prince Abiodun Ogunleye (2007), Princess Sarah Sosan (2007-2011), Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire (2011-2015), and Dr. Idiat Adebule (2015-2019).
2:Ogundipe Finally Back As The VC Of UNILAG
THERE was jubilation on the Akoka, campus of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) when news of the reinstatement of Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe as the institution’s Vice Chancellor filtered in last night.
The Nation learnt that the Federal Government had approved the White Paper by the Visitation Panel which investigated Ogundipe’s removal by the Wale Babalakin-led Governing Council and other allegations levelled against him and others.
A source confirmed that Education Minister Malam Adamu Adamu would today announce his reinstatement at a news conference in Abuja.
Ogundipe was said to have received his letter and expected to return to Lagos from Abuja today.
A lecturer at the university who said the institution was jubilant about the news, said: “No details yet. He collected the letter today but will come in from Abuja tomorrow.”
Another worker (names withheld) said: “I heard from people close to him. I think it must be true.”
The various chat groups of workers of the varsity were burstling with jubilation last night. Some posted praise songs and congratulating the embattled vice chancellor.
One of such reads: “Three Gbosa for our victorious reinstated Vice Chancellor of University of Lagos, PROFESSOR OLUWATOYIN OGUNDIPE
Gbosa! Gbosa!! Gbosa!!!”
Another reads: “You are the Lord, that is your name, You will never share Your Glory with any man, You will never Share Your Glory with anybody, ALMIGHTY GOD THAT IS YOUR NAME.”
3:Goodnews As UN Offers $250 Million To Support Nigeria
Nigeria is to get about $250 million, following the launch of the United Nations (UN) Plus Offer for Socio-Economic Recovery.
The UN Plus Offer, which was launched at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, and attended by the UN Deputy Secretary-General, Hajiya Amina Mohammed, and top officials of the world body, is an initiative of the UN in Nigeria and Nigeria Development Partners Group.
According to a statement by a presidential spokesman, Laolu Akande, the offer will support development of health response systems ($13.78m); protecting people ($53.3m); macroeconomic stability and economic recovery ($30.7m); and social protection ($26.6m) to assist communities.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said the initiative to complement the Nigerian Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) is a fitting acknowledgment of the country's effort in addressing the disruptions caused by the pandemic.
"Much has been said about the ESP but one of the critical issues is social protection. And it has become even more urgent especially in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the lockdowns and of course the disruptions that have taken place."
The UN Deputy Secretary-General, Hajiya Mohammed, said: "This offer is aimed at supporting Nigeria in its immediate efforts at risk mitigation by cushioning vulnerable communities, and through medium-term measures that will aid socio-economic recovery while addressing structural drivers of exclusion, inequalities and discrimination as a component of recovering better."
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative and Chair of the Nigeria Development Partners Group, Mr. Mohammed Yahya said the offer was in response to the UN Secretary General's call for action.
4:Zulum Requests For Special Team To Unmask Boko Haram Sponsors
BORNO State Governor Babagana Zulum has called on the Federal Government to leverage on the conviction of six Boko Haram sponsors in the United Arab Emirate(UAE) by swooping on other suspected financiers of the terror group.
He suggested the setting up of a multi-stakeholder team to work with the UAE authorities in unmasking more sponsors of the group, which has in the past 11 years killed thousands of Nigerians, displaced millions and destroyed properties in the Northeast, especially in Borno State.
Zulum’s call and advice are contained in a statement on Tuesday by his spokesman Isa Gusau.
The governor expressed happiness with the UAE, saying it was a major headway in the fight against terrorism in the state and the entire Northeast.
There had been reports on Monday of how the six convicted Nigerians wired almost $782,000 in 17 tranches to Boko Haram, using Bureau de change outlets in Nigeria between 2015 and 2016.
The governor said: “I urge the Federal Government to consider setting up a multi-stakeholder team with trusted representatives from the Federal Ministries of Justice and Foreign Affairs; the Nigerian Intelligence Agency (NIA), the Defence Intelligence Agency, the Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad, and the ECOWAS Intergovernmental Action Group on Terrorism Financing in West Africa to assiduously work with the UAE government to look into the issues raised by families crying foul play, and more importantly, to follow-up on the findings by the UAE with the hope of using the intelligence, if authenticated, to expand search on other Boko Haram sponsors that may be helping in similar ways.”
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