A former Federal Commissioner in the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Asiwaju Deji Fasuan, has faulted some lawmakers’ bid to pass laws conferring monthly life salaries and pensions on themselves.
Fasuan said they were attempting to reap where they did not sow and would ultimately help “to run the country aground.”
Some states have recently begun the process of enacting legislation to provide monthly life pensions for legislators.
In Bayelsa State, the bill was rejected by the Governor Seriake Dickson following widespread condemnation by the public.
Read also: Fayemi hailed for uninterrupted payment of pension
The Kano State House of Assembly on May 9, passed into law the Pensions Rights of Speaker and Deputy Law 2019, which will enable the two presiding officers earn life pension after leaving the office.
The Speaker and Deputy will also enjoy foreign medical trips and brand new vehicles every four years.
Fasuan noted that the legislator’s recent wish, “which perhaps will ultimately include Counsellors of Local governments, has been received with utter surprise by some African countries and even with a majority of Nigerians.
“After three or four years of irregular attendance at both plenary and committee meetings our legislators want to be paid salaries, wages, allowances etc for the rest of their life. This is in addition to the disengagement benefit due after their first tenure of three to four years.
“If these benefits become operative, legislators or even counselors who have throughout their tenure made little or no contribution to national debate will forever live a life of bliss, eating deep where they did not sow and ultimately helping to run the country aground.”
According to the former Permanent Secretary and Chairman, Committee for the Creation of Ekiti State, the struggle to become a counselor, member of a state House of Assembly or a federal legislator, is already “a matter of do-or-die.
“This is even before their financial benefits do not extend to a whole life span.”
He backed some Nigerians’ proposal of part-time legislative assemblies, “because these so-called lawmakers are contributing very little to national development.”
Fasuan also suggested a Constitutional amendment to improve governance.
He added: “For now it’s not too late to have a new look at our Constitution. Afterwards, these national documents have been reviewed three times since the 1988/89 Constituent Assembly.
“But one would expect that the next review will not be cosmetic or timid but will fundamentally affect the structure and governance of our country, not the political or sectional restructuring being canvassed about now.”
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