Labour leader urges repeal of law on pension for ex-govs

Labour activist and Vice President of Industrial Global Union (IGU), Comrade Issa Aremu, has described the law that makes provision for payment of pension and other entitlements to former elected governors and their deputies as illegal and unsustainable under the prevailing economic condition in the country.

According to him, it is obvious that Nigerian politicians are now playing politics of the unjust and corrupt in the midst of abject poverty of the masses.

“There is need for the nation to return to politics of ideology which is about service to the people. The law that makes provision for the payment of pension and other entitlements to former elected governors will lead to collapse of the public treasury,” he cautioned.

Arem, who spoke to journalists in Kaduna at the weekend, noted: “The nation is becoming a society where the rich are becoming richer, while the poor are becoming poorer.

“I commend the governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for being courageous to remove the illegal pension law for former governors of the state. I urge other governors to follow suit. We must know that governance is all about service to the people.”

Aremu urged governments and wealthy individuals to be sensitive to the plight of the people.

“We are just coming out of palliatives distribution crisis which shows that there is poverty in the land and we are increasing the petroleum pump price. I feel so bad about the increase and I am surprised,” Aremu said.

The activist, who extolled the virtues of the late First Republic governor of the defunct Kaduna State, Balarabe Musa, said: “He was the richest ex-governor in the area of core values and being a promoter of good governance. He died at a critical period of nation building. This is the time that the ruling class must rededicate themselves to selfless service and good governance, “ Aremu added.