I
have read the recent agitations for a review of the salaries and
emoluments of certain public officers who are said to be earning
multiple benefits as a result of the several offices that they occupy,
both presently and in the recent past. I support this initiative
wholeheartedly save that such campaign should be holistic and not
targeted at any individual or institution.
Given
the resolve of the President to stop all corrupt practices and all
forms of impunity, the campaign to abolish multiple pay for all public
officers should indeed start with the President. In this regard, these
are my findings:
1.
Under and by virtue of the Armed Forces Act, (s.25) a retired army
officer, such as the President-elect, is forever a part and parcel of
the Nigerian Army.
2. Under and by virtue of Paragraph 1(1) of the 1st Schedule
of the Armed Forces Pensions Act, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari
(Retd.), is entitled to and has indeed been receiving and benefiting
from pension, as an officer who held a regular commission, before his
retirement.
3.
Major-General Mohammadu Buhari (Retd.) seized power in Nigeria from an
elected President, on December 31, 1983 and forcefully crowned himself
as Head of State. He forcefully held on to power for 1 year, 239 days,
before he was also deposed on August 27, 1985, by General Ibrahim
Babangida (Retd.). He is thus a retired commissioned officer of the
Nigerian Army and he remains so for as long as he lives.
4.
Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (Retd.) attended the Council of State
meetings as former Head of State, which office he held in his capacity
as a Major-General.
5.
Under and by virtue of section 1 of the Remuneration of Former
Presidents and Heads of State Act No. 32 of 1999, Major-General
Muhammadu Buhari (Retd.), is entitled to a very fat salary as pension, for life. He is also entitled to the following benefits:
(i) Chief Administrative Officer of not less than Grade Level 12;
(ii) Personal Secretary of not less than Grade Level 12;
(iii) Four armed policemen as his private security;
(iv) A top ranking State Security Service officer as his Aide De Camp;
(v) Three official vehicles to be changed every four years;
(vi) Three drivers to be paid by Federal Government;
(vii) Diplomatic Passport for life;
(viii) Free medical treatment in Nigeria for himself and members of his family;
(ix) Free medical treatment abroad for himself and members of his family;
(x) Thirty days annual leave;
(xi) Well equipped and well furnished office accommodation;
(x) Well equipped and well furnished living apartment, not less than five bedroom duplex;
(xi) Free telephone, etc.
(6)
The President became entitled to all the above, by virtue of his
membership of the Nigerian Army; he became Head of State, by virtue of
his commission as an officer of the Nigerian Army and he has earned this
salaries and benefits as such, over the years, even when he contested
elections in 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015.
(7)
Presently, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (Retd.) is earning over N3m
monthly as Executive President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, by
virtue of the 2015 general elections, which he won.
Conclusively,
let all public officers, who have occupied one position or the other in
the past, be given the option to decide which benefit they want to
earn, as between their past emoluments and their present ones, so that
in any given occasion, let no public officer earn more than one
emolument for more than one office, starting of course, with the
President.
Thank you all.
EBUN-OLU ADEGBORUWA, ESQ.
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