Politics
“I Did Not Get Any House In Lagos Or Abuja” – Fashola Reveals Why He “Refused” To Benefit From Pension Packages For Ex Govs & Deputies
Charles Oyelesi
Former Governor of Lagos State Babatunde Raji Fashola has declared that he refused to partake in the pension packages for former governors and their deputies.
Fashola who was the poster boy of good governance when he was governor disclosed he felt conflicted because “the real privilege and honor was to serve”.
The former governor explained that his refusal to benefit from the “pension scheme” backed by law is on record.
“I declined to benefit and when the matter came up, there is a meeting, record of a minute of government in the state executive council where I stated that if this was a privilege confer on me, I had the right to refuse and I refused and the cabinet should record my refusal to partake..”
Fashola stated in the video clip of an interview on channels television’s popular programme “HardCopy” monitored by societynow.ng.
The former governor who is the serving minister for works provided his reasons for refusing to partake in the pension packages which includes benefits of a house in Abuja and Lagos with the assertion “because I was conflicted morally about the position and for me, the real privilege and honor was to serve, so I have gone back to my house in Surulere so I am not collecting any emolument “
The former governor, however, explained the Lagos state government has been crediting his account every amount since he left office – but doesn’t know the reason behind the payments.
“I know that there are some credits they send three hundred and fifty something thousand Naira to my account every month, so I have asked them to explain what this is for. My chief of staff I believe has written to them, the money is there in my salary account and I haven’t used it, so if I collect anything, that is what I have collected since I left office, I collect three hundred and fifty seven thousand Naira every month.” Fashola told his interviewer Maupe Ogun.
The minister emphatically rejected suggestions of the benefit of a house in Lagos or Abuja with a passionate “None absolutely.”
Fashola insisted that though he feels conflicted and has not partaken in the pension packages but, “if the elected representatives of that state pass the law, that is the law.”
Governor of Lagos State Babajide Sanwo-Olu has announced a plan to repel the law that backed what is widely described as the controversial benefits for former governors and their deputies.
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the politics shots caller in Lagos state – also a former governor and fingered beneficiary of the scheme – has announced wholehearted support for the decision of Sanwo-Olu to scrap the pension packages.
