…….hails him on Pension law repeal.
Emmanuel lkpeama.
The Former President of Nigeria,Olusegun Obasanjo has passed a vote of confidence on the Abia State Governor,Alex Otti,over his developmental strides which have restored public confidence in the government, While urging him to pay more attention to infrastructure because the people of Abia State are enterprising.
The former President stated this during a courtesy visit to Otti at the Governor’s country home in Nvosi, Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area of Abia State.
He went further to state that if adequate attention is giving to infrastructure,the people of the state will have nothing to worry about because they are enterprising on their own.
Obasanjo commended the state governor for repealing the law that allowed former governors and their deputies to collect pensions in order to reduce the cost of governance.
According to him ending the pension to former governors and former deputy governors which he described as daylight robbery is a welcome development.
“The pension scheme for former governor here is atrocious, it’s like daylight robbery because it allows them to have a house in Abuja and elsewhere and cart away with whatever they feel like carting away yet the pension for ordinary people is unpaid, what sort of leadership is that?
“And you came and you said there will be an end to that rascality. I congratulate you and I say to you that I hope that some of your colleagues will follow in your footsteps. You have started but you should never be tired.
“You will be discouraged, you will be abused, you will be called names but if we have one-third of our states doing what should be done this country will be a different country and you are doing what should be done,” Obasanjo stated.
Governor Alex Otti while responding thanked the former President for applauding him on the repeal of the pension law and assured him that his administration was focused on providing infrastructure for the people of the state.
“There is not much we can do if we don’t focus on infrastructure and part of infrastructure is power. In fact it is the most important infrastructure for industrialisation, production, manufacturing and even small and medium-scale enterprises.
“So, I want to also thank you for supporting our decision to repeal the pension law for former governors and former deputy governors. I had said as I signed the bill into law that I strongly believe that leadership is stewardship and if you come to serve the people, you can’t at the same time be fleecing the people,” Otti said.
It will be recalled that the Abia State House of Assembly on tuesday passed into law, H.A.B 11: A Bill for a ‘Law to Repeal The Abia State Governors & Deputy Governors Pensions Law No 4 of 2001 and for other Matters Connected Therewith’ sponsored by the Majority Leader and member representing Arochukwu State Constituency Okoro Uchenna Kalu.
The passage of the bill followed its first and second readings, the consideration by the committee of the whole before its 3rd reading during Tuesday’s plenary at the hallowed chamber and following the passage of the Bill by the lawmakers, Governor Otti on Thursday signed it into law.
