The Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, Friday, announced his administration’s plans to repeal the payment of pension to former governors and their deputies in the state.

He stated this in a tweet, adding that he will in the coming week; send a bill to the State House of Assembly to revoke the law awarding pension packages to former governors and former deputy governors in Kwara State.

According to the governor, the move to revoke the payment of pensions to ex-governors and their deputies is in line with his administration’s campaign mantra and the yearnings of the people.

This is coming days after the Lagos Governor; Babajide Sanwo-Olu made a similar move to abolish the (Payment of Pension Law 2007) that provides for the payment of pension and other entitlements to public office holders including former governors and their deputies.

Kwara will be the fourth state following suit if the bill is passed into law. In November 2019, the Zamfara House of Assembly revoked its own version of the law that provides pension and other allowances for former governors and their deputies. Imo State also abolished theirs in June according to reports.

This is a welcome development because the cost of governance is a major impediment to the progress of Nigeria. Not only has it led to wastage of the country’s resources and stalled socio-economic growth, it has also widened the gap between the political class and the masses.

While some Nigerians barely have two square meals a day due to poverty as many are either unemployed or under-employed, the political class, on the other hand, can afford virtually anything they fancy during their tenure as public servants and after they have left office.

A former governor of Lagos, for instance, is entitled to six new cars every three years, approximately 100 per cent of the basic salary of a serving governor (N7.7m per annum), as well as furniture allowance, which is 300 per cent of their annual basic salary (N23.3m). And that is not all; he and his family are also entitled to free healthcare. While a former deputy governor is entitled to vehicles, medical insurance, fully-paid vacation, and other juicy bonuses.

The outrageous cost of governance is an issue the masses have always been opposed to and a subject of discussion the political class had always turned deaf tears to until recently – they seem to be taking a step in the right direction finally.

While state governors across the country are making effort to cut down the cost of governance, we expect that the Government at the centre will follow suit because the outrageous allowances of lawmakers is another problematic issue that needs a downward review to free up funds that can be channelled towards the development of the country.

Uroupa Kiakubu