This statement has often been quoted by successive leaders both within and outside the USA mostly when the call to national service is brought to the front burner. For some, it has spurred them to give their very best to the service of their nation but in Nigeria, after serving for many years and in several capacities, the ruling classes are still asking the government what to do for them and their families. The reason can’t be far-fetched, greed and the fear of tomorrow.

When Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, sent the now infamous pensions bill which was hurriedly passed into law for former governors and their deputies to the Akwa Ibom State House Of Assembly, little did he know that the bill would attract the widespread condemnation it has gotten thus far. In his estimation and much to the horror of the people of Akwa Ibom which he has constantly stated his undying love for, the bill would ensure that a huge chunk of the allocation intended for the benefit of the people would be paid to Akpabio, his deputy and former governors of the state all in the name of medical expenses amongst many others.

Akpabio, following the outcry of most Nigerians has called on his state’s lawmakers to expunge the controversial sections of the bill. He has also come up to defend his N200 million annual pay retirement perks, saying the new law was in the interest of the state. I keep wondering how that can be in the interest of the state. Or is Akpabio’s selfish interest now also the interest of Akwa Ibom State?

I thought it best to look into the bill and its provisions and a couple of things there got me worried not only for the people of Akpabio’s state but for all Nigerians. As much as we try to crucify Akpabio, the truth remains that he is not alone in this selfish depletion of state resources by current and past rulers of our states. 

One of the annoying provisions of the new law shows that under the new law, Mr. Akpabio and others listed in Section 1(1) of the law are entitled to a monthly pension for life at the rate equivalent to his current salary. Under this law, Mr. Akpabio and his deputy; Mrs. Ebe will, therefore, pocket a total of N2, 223, 705. 00; and N2, 112, 215, 00 respectively as monthly and a total of N26, 684, 460,00 and N25, 346, 580 respectively as pension, per annum. This is based on approved remuneration package for state executive and local government executive by the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC). The governor is also entitled to a new official car and a utility vehicle once in every four years, one personal aide and the provision of adequate security for his person during his lifetime at the expense of the state government. Akwa Ibom taxpayers are also expected to provide an amount not exceeding N5 million or an equivalent of $50,000.00 monthly for Mr. Akpabio to engage the services of a cook, chauffeurs and security guards.

Another scandalous provision here, as with the Akwa Ibom law, is the provision of estacode for the governor and his wife for 30 days of annual vacation abroad. The former chief executive is also given free telephone and internet services for life.

I’m horrified at this greedy provision because, just as we all know, barring any unfortunate incident, Governor Akpabio would be heading for the Senate come 2015. Add this amount to the multiple allowances our Senators receive from the federation account, you would be shocked at what one man alone intends to pocket in one month from government coffers. Is Akpabio scared of tomorrow if one would ask? I think the answer is a capital YES. This is premised on the fact that there is much uncertainty in the country, everybody especially the ruling class wants to accumulate enough wealth for themselves and their children’s children.

This proposal couldn’t have come at a worse time than now. With a steady shortfall in our national income and the recent revelation by Nigeria’s Minister of Finance Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala that governors of Nigeria’s top ten richest states have failed to deliver in equal measure to what they have received, Akpabio’s new pensions law has exposed the greed of our self serving governors.

According to Okonjo-Iweala, Nigerians should seek answers from their governors, adding that the fight against poverty should not be left at the door steps of the federal government alone. Listing the top 10 states in revenue allocation, with Akwa Ibom at the top, she stated that “In 2013, the top 10 allocations went to Akwa Ibom, N260 billion; Rivers, N230 billion; Delta, N209 billion; Bayelsa, N173 billion; Lagos, N168 billion; Kano, N140 billion; Katsina, N103 billion; Oyo, N100 billion; Kaduna, N97 billion; and Borno, N94 billion.

“These were the allocations that all these states got last year, so the question is what did they do with it? Analysis shows that many states receive revenue allocation that are larger than the budgetary allocation of neighbouring countries, such as Liberia, whose budget is $433 million and Gambia, $210 million.

“You can see that our top 10 states receive more money than these countries and you should be asking what this money is being used for? We should ask ourselves what is the role of states and local governments in supporting our transformation? We know from the constitution that the provision of public services, such as health, education, agricultural services and so on, are on a concurrent list and, therefore, are joint responsibilities of the federal, state and local governments.

With Akwa Ibom earning more than Gambia and Liberia, it is shameful to note that these nations have employed more of its unemployed citizens and has impacted positively on the lives of its people far ahead of what Akpabio and the rest of our governors have done. It is unfortunate in Nigeria that we celebrate the commissioning of roads and opening of boreholes as dividends of democracy instead of important issues like job and wealth creation among others.

Akwa Ibom however is not alone in this madness. Findings has revealed that no fewer than ten states in the federation are undergoing this level of robbery where former leaders after milking the state during their years in power still rob the poor further in the name of pensions.

In Kwara state, the Kwara pension law was first passed in 2003 and approved by former governor, Mohammed Lawal. The law as at then merely stipulated that qualified former governors and their deputies be paid pension for life, without other perks like accommodation, cars and other perks.

The law was reviewed in 2010 by Bukola Saraki, a former governor of the state and a serving senator, who, with the support of the state House of Assembly imposed outrageous raises on all the benefits. The 2010 law gives a former governor two cars and a security car, replaceable every three years. The governor is also entitled to a “well-furnished 5-bedroom duplex”, furniture allowance of 300 per cent of his salary (which totals over N6 million).

The law also gives the governor five personal staff paid for by the state, eight policemen, three SSS operatives(of which one must be a female), free medicals for the governor and the deputy. Other entitlements are 30 per cent of salary for car maintenance, 20 per cent for utility, 10 per cent for entertainment and 10 per cent for house maintenance.

As a senator, Mr. Saraki is currently drawing a monthly salary and a quarterly allowance of at least N40 million. This in my estimation spurred Akpabio to tweak the existing law in his state as the sky did not fall when Saraki made away with his.

In Lagos, the Lagos pension law was signed by former governor and now leader of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Tinubu cornered for himself and his former leaders of the state pension for life, two houses – one in Lagos and another in Abuja (The condemned Akpabio’s law ranks better here as the house could only be either in Akwa Ibom or Abuja, not both).

The Lagos law also gives the governor six cars replaceable every three years( 3 for the governor, 1 pilot, 2 backup cars), furniture of 300% of his salary as governor to be paid every two years, a security detail same as in Kwara state, free medicals for the former governor and deputies and their immediate families. Other benefits are 10 per cent house maintenance, 30 per cent car maintenance, 10 per cent entertainment, 20 per cent utility, and several domestic staff.

In Rivers state, the Rivers pension law was first approved in 2003 by former governor, Peter Odili, having been passed by a state assembly under the leadership of the present governor, Hon. Chibuike Amaechi.

The 2003 pension law provides pension for life for governors and deputies, defining “pension” as embodying annual terminal basic salary, annual transport allowance, annual rent subsidy, annual utility allowance, entertainment allowance, domestic staff of not more than four.

In 2012, Mr. Amaechi, having taken over as governor, signed an amendment of that law, specifying benefits for former governors and himself when he leaves office.

Like Lagos, the new law gives the former governor a house in Rivers State and anywhere in Nigeria. The former governor is also entitled to pension for life at the rate of the governor’s basic salary, 300 per cent of salary for furniture paid every four years, three cars every four years, free medical, and 10 per cent for house maintenance.

The law gives the former governor a security detail comprising two SSS operatives, four police officers, 30 per cent for car maintenance, 10 per cent entertainment, 20 per cent utility and several domestic staff.

The Zamfara version of the law was signed in 2006 by Governor Ahmed Sani Yerima who is now a senator.

The law gives Mr. Sani and other former Zamfara governors pension for life, two personal staff, two vehicles replaceable every four years, two drivers, free medical for the former governors and deputies and their immediate families in Nigeria or abroad.

The law also gives the former governors a 4-bedroom house in Zamfara and an office, free telephone and 30 days paid vacation outside Nigeria.

For the government and people of Gombe state, the pension for former governors with their deputies ranks close to what is obtained in Zamfara. The significant difference is that the law states explicitly that the former governor or deputy has the right to be paid in lieu of benefits such as a house, vehicles and others.

The former governors are given pension for life, two vehicles changed in four years, two drivers, free medicals in Nigeria and abroad, a house anywhere in Gombe.

Another scandalous provision here, as with the Akwa Ibom law, is the provision of estacode for the governor and his wife for 30 days of annual vacation abroad.

The former chief executive is also given free telephone and internet services for life.

What bothers me most is the negative impact these shameless practices would have on our future leaders. Our leaders must therefore, note that in their mad rush to scandalous wealth accumulation, they murder the hopes and aspiration of our children who have also now imbibed the culture of thievery and lasciviousness. The implication being that we are raising a generation of Nigerians who are blind to the difference between right and wrong. They (the brand new corrupt youths) will kill, maim, rape, kidnap and defraud with impunity, even more than they have been taught by the bad examples of our present crop of corrupt leaders which means that the future the ruling class wishes to protect with their insatiable desire for wealth accumulation will be loaded with regrets and pains if this unacceptable trend is allowed to continue.