Tunji Wusu –
One Love Foundation, OLF, a civil society organization, praised Chief Gbenga Daniel, the former governor of Ogun State and current senator for the Ogun East Senatorial District, on Friday for suspending his monthly pension and benefits as the state’s former governor.
Speaking about the courageous move and praising Senator Daniel as a former governor with good morals, Chief Patrick Eholor, the founder and president of the OLF, praised the former governor of Ogun State for his letter to the current governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, calling it highly commendable, exemplary, and deserving of imitation by other former presidents and governors.
He said: “I was shocked and deeply impressed that there is still a previous governor who still has a decent conscience in Nigeria when I read it from the newspaper about former Governor of Ogun State, Senator Gbenga Daniel, writing to the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun.
“I really commend him and will also suggest that he merits the “National Lifetime Award” for making such a choice.
You can understand that this enormous sum of money went into every ex-governor’s account on a monthly basis, along with various allocations and allowances that were not disclosed, when he mentioned the amount he was receiving previously, which is N676,376.95, in his writing.
Eholor, however, bemoaned the theft of public funds by former political office holders under the guise of monthly pension and allowance payments at the expense of the development of their States. He also said that the pitiful amount that civil servants are paid as minimum wage is unacceptable and that they should have a change of heart and take the necessary action.
“And yet again, I weep for Nigeria because so many things prevent this nation from progressing. How can someone receive N676,376.95 per month in the name of a former governor? Then, imagine if other former governors of other states are receiving payments of this size each month.
Yet, he continued, “civil servants are owed back salaries, our schools are in disrepair, and our refineries are inoperable.”
It will be recalled that Eholor, a social activist and human rights advocate, recently stated that it is now essential to have a downward review of the salary and allowances of Members of the National Assembly and Governors, as well as other political office holders, in order to boost the provision of infrastructure, funding quality educational and health sectors, food production for self-sufficiency, water supply, boosting Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, MSMEs, the development of the MSMEs, and the general economy.
“If only their salaries are slashed down and used for the development of this country, I bet you from now until about three years to come Nigeria will move up a bit in the global rankings for good,” he said when he called for a salary review for those at the National House of Assemblies.
He added that given the situation that Nigeria and Nigerians are in right now, “It is high time we move as a country from consumption to production.”
“We will stay in this mess if we continue to rely on imports at the expense of encouraging by deliberate policies that would galvanize Micro Small and Medium Enterprises.”
“I write to request the suspension of my monthly pension/allowances of 676,376.95 (gross) (Six Hundred and Seventy-Six Thousand, Three Hundred Seventy-Six Naira, Ninety-Five Kobo) being paid as a former Executive Governor of Ogun State,” the letter from Senator Daniel to Governor Abiodun reads.
“This request is in accordance with my conscience, moral code, and ethical code against multiple emoluments, which forbids a serving Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who previously served as a State Governor from receiving pension and allowance payments from that state.
“It will be recalled that on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, I was sworn in as a member of the 10th National Assembly along with other elected Senators and Members of the House of Representatives.”
