The Federal Government plans to spend N3.19bn on the pensions and allowances of former Presidents, Heads of State, their deputies, former leaders of the National Assembly and their families in the year 2012.

The proposed N3.19bn represents an increase of about N2bn from what was provided for the former rulers in the 2011 Budget.

The government also earmarked a total of N141.7bn for the pensions and gratuities, of retired civil servants, that are not captured in the contributory pension scheme.

The amount contained in the 2012 budget currently before the National Assembly is under Service Wide Votes. Our correspondents report that beneficiaries under this heading will receive a total of N414.4bn for the fiscal year.

The Remuneration for former Presidents, Heads of State Act passed by the National Assembly in November 2010 provides for the remunerations of all former Presidents, Heads of State and their deputies, including the families of former leaders who are late.

Currently, those who benefit from the Act are former Heads of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon; Gen. Muhammadu Buhari; Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar; Gen. Ibrahim Babangida; former head of the Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan; former President Shehu Shagari; former President Olusegun Obasanjo; their living deputies; and former heads of the National Assembly.

Other beneficiaries are the widow of a late former President, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe; the widows of a former Prime Minister, the late Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa; and the widows and families of former Heads of State, General Murtala Muhammed; and Gen. Sani Abacha.

When the N1.2bn bill was presented to the Senate in 2011, the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Intergovernmental Affairs queried the amount, saying that it was too high a price to pay for the comfort of former leaders who presided over the “economic retardation” of the country.

But explanations from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation showed that there were seven living former Heads of State, five Vice Presidents, six families of deceased leaders and two families of deceased Vice Presidents.

Among other benefits, the former leaders are expected to get a five bedroom housing accommodation each in any location of their choice with telephone services; at least three vehicles; and salaries of personal staff.

Also, the law provides that government should cater for the needs of the former heads of state whenever they visit Abuja, as well as pay for their use of courier services.

Reacting to the provision, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Bassey Otu, said the Senate would take a look at the provision and ensure that the former leaders did not get beyond what they deserved.

He said the N3.19bn might be slashed in line with the new posture of government to reduce the cost of governance.

“Rest assured that anything that should be done to bring these budgets to their proper sizes, will be done,” he said.

But the President of Campaign for Democracy, Joe-Okei Odumakin, criticised the increase from N1.2bn to N3.19bn, saying it smacked of insensitivity.

She told one of our correspondents in a telephone interview on Sunday that voting more money for the care of former leaders suggested that the poor would remain poor while those who had misruled the country would continue to grow richer.

She said, “First and foremost, it is extremely outrageous. How can you explain an increase from N1.2bn to N3.19bn? It smacks of insensitivity to the plight of Nigerians. It is sad that this is happening when our citizens are impoverished.

“It means that all the mouthing that the regime will reduce their pay is cosmetic and hypocritical.”

Also, the All Nigeria Peoples Party said the huge budget provision was President Goodluck Jonathan’s way of preparing the ground for when he would leave office.

According to the National Publicity Secretary of the ANPP, Chief Emma Eneukwu, the government has no idea of how to move the country forward.

He said, “We keep on saying it that this government has no human face and that it does not care what happens to the people.

“It was telling Nigerians that it was going to cut expenses, yet, it went ahead to increase the budgetary provision for these leaders.

“This same government told us that the economy would collapse without the removal of petroleum subsidy. It did not tell us that the economy of individual would collapse.

“This government is proving it day-by-day that it is a government that lacks vision and cannot be trusted. Nigerians cannot be deceived forever. One day is for the thief, the rest are for the owners.”

http://www.punchng.com/news/fg-to-spend-n3-1bn-on-obasanjo-others-in-2012/#comment-59213

even the dead are getting pay!

Fg to spend =N= 3.1bn on the past ruler it is uneconomical to our country economy, when we are crying of fuel subsidy. it means that the whole money realized from fuel subsidy are going to spend on the past leaders that already rich, GEJ think very well before u go further in presenting this can of rubbish memo to the upper and lower house, where is Okonjo iweala, Sanusi and those economic Team  we have in Nigeria. I hope these should wake up and tell GEJ the truth,

even the dead are getting pay!

Do other pensioners families kip getting paid afta their death?
.

Fg to spend =N= 3.1bn on the past ruler it is uneconomical to our country economy, when we are crying of fuel subsidy. it means that the whole money realized from fuel subsidy are going to spend on the past leaders that already rich, GEJ think very well before u go further in presenting this can of rubbish memo to the upper and lower house, where is Okonjo iweala, Sanusi and those economic Team  we have in Nigeria that said subsidy wil kil d country. I hope these should wake up and tell GEJ the truth,

This is pure wickedness against Nigerians. Its like u're paying someone that inflicted everlasting woe on u, telling him thank you for a job well done. SMH

nakedall:

even the dead are getting pay!

Don't the dead have a right to share in the National Cake ? Are you trying to imply that the dead are less equal than the living ?

The rich are gettin richer while the poor are gettin poorer. dats naija 4 u

In this era of fuel subsidy, widows, not one o getting paid! They will even build them houses again, with several mansions they already have? They built them house last year o! And we see pensioners dying everyday? Forget Gej he cant do anything with his four year term. He just came to loot and go.

Has collecting pension become a crime? The total figure makes little sense without knowing how much each person actually gets.

I will reject if i were Gen. Muhammadu Buhari

I can also title this thread as:

Fg To Spend N3.1bn On Buhari, Others In 2012

Why d increase, do the past leaders really nid d money. The money should be donated to charity jor. Since u guys says IBB is a boko haram sponser why give him more money to give away.

efisher:

Has collecting pension become a crime? The total figure makes little sense without knowing how much each person actually gets.

You should not get pension for holding a political office, afterall you had a job before holding the office. And why should dead people be paid pension?

na today you know sey nigeria na 4cked up country? kia!

efisher:

Has collecting pension become a crime? The total figure makes little sense without knowing how much each person actually gets.

Why not use your pitiful brains to ask the logical question "How did the money increase by nearly N2bn from N1.2bn in 2011 to N3.1bn in 2012? Did the former Heads of State clone themselves?"

supereagle:

The Federal Government plans to spend N3.19bn on the pensions and allowances of former Presidents, Heads of State, their deputies, former leaders of the National Assembly and their families in the year 2012.

This is not new. This is where the budget of transformation is going.

the dead still rule that is why she's a fallen nation. . . .

I wonder how this works out since most of them were also generals in the army. Do you get a pension as a retired general and then pick a cheque as an ex-C-in-C. Tw0 birds with one stone. Even Shonekan who was there for a few months gets millions and a mansion, for doing what exactly. More information please. This thing is really wierd.

I believe Buhari rejected PTF's pay when he was appointed saying he was already being paid by the government, I do not know if he is only drawing his General's pay or the two. There is a need to reduce all these payments, we are a poor country and these monies can be used to provide infrastructure or even scholarships to deserving students.

GEJ God bless you.

Please, by 2013 I hope you increase this pay for Ex-Presidents to N19Billion.

Hunger must finish these dumb, brainless Nigerians. Sebi dem dey see everything through tribal lenses? Maybe, when hunger don decimate them na dat time them go get something to Unite all of them.

Oh, and GEJ please dont forget say in less than 60 days, youre supposed to revert Gas prices back to N141/Litre.

Thanks in advance.

They transform themselves while they deform the common man.That is the transformation agenda for you

Im so dumbfounded with this news,its heartbreaking to us cus we still live in poverty yet those that threw Nigerians into this mess are getting paid for a job well done. This is d worst topic iv read this month!

Na wa oh! Wat more can i say? Rich man go dey halla prayer, 'Modupe', Poor man go dey shout ' anwuo la m eh!'

Na wa oh! Wat more can i say? Rich man go dey halla prayer, 'Modupe', Poor man go dey shout ' anwuo la m eh!'

nakedall:

even the dead are getting pay!

When the N1.2bn bill was presented to the Senate in 2011, the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Intergovernmental Affairs queried the amount, saying that[b] it was too high a price to pay for the comfort of former leaders who presided over the “economic retardation” of the country.[/b]

She said, “First and foremost, it is extremely outrageous. How can you explain an increase from N1.2bn to N3.19bn? It smacks of insensitivity to the plight of Nigerians. It is sad that this is happening when our citizens are impoverished.

This is more than bad.

The former "leaders" that their main contribution was stealing the nation's money and destroying the country?

Why nah? Why??

Certainly they don't deserve it.

[size=28pt]This had better be a joke 


Kai!!!  Nigeria ti gbe igbekugbe!! O ma ti seeeeee ooo!![/size]

[size=18pt]According to the National Publicity Secretary of the ANPP, Chief Emma Eneukwu, the government has no idea of how to move the country forward. [/size]

Dem for don tell us this nau!! How can old people whose cognitive faculties dey on strike 24/7 suppose to have idea? The first step would be to leave the office for Nigerian Youths. Chai!!! Let us break this country peacefully before we all die in war.

But to be honest o, Nigerian Youths in Nigeria are prolly as worse as the dead-men-walking we currently have in office.

Most of our past leaders are multi-billionaires. They own several companies, mansions and parcels of land at the detriment of the masses. Most of them contributed nothing to the development of the country. Payment of pension to past leaders of the National Assembly is fraudulent and condemnable. A lot of them are retired civil servants and military officers who are already pensioners. They have not added much value to the lives of nigerians. Why must the masses pay the price for their upkeep?

Gej is truly a criminal,he is running a pure gangster government.A government of chop make i chop.

He has even manage to incorporate the MEND militants into the chopping spree,while at the moment he is striving very hard to the give the bokoharams a hand to join the awufu party.

will those who voted jonathan and not pdp please stand up!
Fresh air indeed!

Budget for ex-militants- Billions

Budget for ex- presidents - Billions

Budget for ex-criminals- Billions

Budget for subsidy - Zero