Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) through its Senior Elders’ Forum has urged Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo, Dapo Abiodun, Ogun, Gboyega Oyetola,Osun, Rotimi Akeredolu, Ondo and Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti to follow the example of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos on the cancellation of payment of pensions to former governors and their deputies.
Rising from a meeting at the Bodija residence of the first female professor of Library Science in Africa, Toun Ogunsheye, the elders noted that the stoppage of pensions to ex-governors and their deputies would not only reduce the cost of governance, but would also help government focus more on reduction of youth unemployment in the zone.
Sanwo-Olu had on Tuesday November 10, while presenting the 2021 appropriation bill to the Lagos State House of Assembly, announced that his administration would repeal the Public Office Holder (Payment of Pension Law 2007), which makes provision for the payment of pension and other entitlements to former elected governors and their deputies in the state.
Former president of the council, Dansaaki Agbede and secretary, Mike Omoleye, said: “We expect other governors in Ekiti, Ondo, Oyo, Osun and Ogun States to replicate the good move by Governor Sanwo-Olu because they are not economically buoyant. We can’t really afford the amount that these people, who have been there for four to eight years and have been having sumptuous life to continue collecting pensions.”
The group also frowned at the Federal Government’s attitude towards the #EndSARS protesters.
“Freezing their accounts, harassing, intimidating and detaining them negated the promises that government made to the innocent youths before they suspended the protests.”
