21 Serving Senators Still Receiving Salaries from their States, Says Africa Centre for Leadership

The African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LDS) has expressed concern that 21 serving senators were currently receiving salaries from their states as former governors and deputy governors as pension.

The Executive Director of the Centre, Dr. Otive Igbuzor, who disclosed this did not name the 21 Senators now on life pension and salaries from their state.

He spoke at the opening of a two-day High Level Multi-Stakeholders Strategic Retreat on fiscal transparency of annual payments of salaries and pensions for elected and public servants held on Tuesday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital.

He asked how economy of the states and the country would grow when some members in the National Assembly were collecting double salaries, saying such payments were seriously against development.

“Twenty one serving senators are presently receiving salaries from their states as former governors and deputy governor (as pension) and at the same time collecting salaries and allowances as members of the National Assembly.

The scenario also applies to some former governors and appointees of government who are now serving in different capacities in the country,” he said.

The executive director, who was represented by the Centre LSD Board member, Mr. Ernest Kemakolam, said political office holders in the country were more interested in their salaries and overheads than what they give to the society.

Igbuzor reasoned that the resources that would have been used for the development of states and country were now being channelled to payment of pension and salaries of those elected office holders who were still collecting double emoluments.

“Funds that naturally should be channelled into infrastructural development are now used to service the personal interest of political leaders and appointees of government.

“The issue at stake today is a clear case of the former governors and appointees of government placing their private or personal interests over and above their entrusted public functions and unduly influencing the level of benefits they receive,” Igbuzor said.

According to him, the level of infrastructural deficit in the country would have been reversed if the monies were channelled into real sectors that drive growth and development such as education, health, infrastructure and agriculture.

He lauded the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, for taking a bold step in the face of the struggle for transparency and accountability by directing the Kwara State Government to stop his pension for the period he has been serving as a Senator.

Also speaking, the acting Chairman, Fiscal Responsibility Commission, Mr. Victor Muruako, tasked state governments to emulate the federal government by setting up fiscal responsibility commission in their states to block loopholes in financial management of their resources.

Muruako, who was represented by the Head Legal, Investigation and Enforcement in the Commission, Mr. Charles Abana, urged state governments to critically review the root causes of insolvency in some states with a view to finding solutions.

He said effective Fiscal Responsibility Law would engender increased level of implementation of the fiscal sustainability plan in the states.

This, he acknowledged, would bring about desirable improvement in the existing public financial management system.