Pensioners Kick As N63bn Severance Package Goes To Buhari, Osinbajo, Others

Severance packages for President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, state governors, and other political appointees leaving office in 2023 are expected to cost the country N63.45 billion.

The severance pay for ministers, commissioners, National Assembly members, state assembly members, and special advisers is also included in the figure. It does not, however, include special assistants.

According to the breakdown, the federal government will pay N3.39 billion, while the states will pay N60.06 billion.

The package for beneficiaries was compiled from a document obtained from the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Allocation Commission’s website.

The severance allowance, however, is distinct from other financial packages that some political office holders may have in place as retirement benefits or pensions.

Political office holders were entitled to a severance package equal to 300 percent of their annual salary, as approved by RMAFAC.

Furthermore, some ex-governors will be paid 100% of their annual basic salary for the rest of their lives.

They would also receive new cars every three years, a house in any part of the country, free medical care, and furniture and car maintenance allowances.

They are also entitled to cooks, stewards, gardeners, and other domestic staff, as well as life police officers and Department of State Services operatives.

In the 2023 fiscal year, a total of N13.81 billion was proposed for the payment of pensions to former Presidents, Vice Presidents, Heads of State, Chiefs of General Staff, retired heads of service, permanent secretaries, and retired heads of government agencies and parastatals.

Former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, as well as Vice Presidents Atiku Abubakar and Namadi Sambo, are among those who will benefit.

Ex-military heads of state, General Yakubu Gowon and General Abdusalami Abubakar, as well as a former dictator and self-styled military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, and a former Chief of General Staff, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe, are expected to benefit from the windfall (retd.).

According to RMAFAC, the President will receive N10.54 million in severance pay, which is 300 percent of his annual basic salary, while Vice President Osinbajo will receive N9.09 million.

The Presidency’s eight special advisers are expected to receive N5.83 million each, for a total of N46.64 million.

Buhari has 44 ministers, including 27 federal ministers and 17 state ministers.

Each minister is entitled to N6.08 million, while each minister of state is entitled to N5.87 million. They would receive N258.08 million in total, with ministers receiving N164.16 million and state ministers receiving N93.92 million.

Each special adviser to the minister is entitled to a N5.83m severance payment. With each minister having one special adviser, the total severance package will be N256.52m.

According to GWG checks, National Assembly members would receive approximately N2.81 billion, with senators receiving N664.94 million and House of Representatives members receiving N2.15 billion.

The Senate President will receive N7.45 million, the Deputy Senate President N6.93 million, and the remaining 107 senators N6.08 million each.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives is expected to receive N7.43 million, the Deputy Speaker N6.86 million, and each of the 358 members N5.96 million.

Governorship elections will be held in approximately 28 states, which means that 28 governors and deputy governors, as well as the commissioners and special advisers who report to them, will receive severance pay.

Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Simon Lalong (Plateau), Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Muhammad Abubakar (Jigawa), Samuel Ortom (Benue), and Dave Umahi are among the governors who will receive severance pay (Ebonyi.)

Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu, Darius Ishaku of Taraba, Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto, Aminu Masari of Katsina, Umar Ganduje of Kano, Ben Ayade of Cross-River, Udom Emmanuel of Akwa-Ibom, Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi, and Nasir el- (Kaduna).

Each governor is entitled to N6.67 million in severance pay, while the deputy governor receives N6.34 million. State governors receive N186.76 million in total, while their deputies receive N177.52 million.

With each commissioner receiving N4.01 million, a total of 570 state commissioners will receive N2.29 billion.

State-level special advisers are legally entitled to N3.75 million each. The 28 states had a total of 14,633 special advisers, which would cost the public treasury N54.88 billion.

The speaker of the state assembly receives N3.28 million, the deputy receives N2.89 million, and other members receive N2.67 million. State legislatures will receive a total of N2.53 billion.

Source: Punch

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