Delta governor rules out abolition of pension payment for ex-governors, deputies

Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, said on Wednesday his administration had no plan to stop payment of pension for past governors and their deputies in the state.

The governor, who disclosed this in a chat with journalists in Asaba, added that his Lagos State counterpart, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, might have reasons to abolish payment for pension and other entitlements to public officials in the state.

Sanwo-Olu had on Tuesday declared the state government’s intention to stop payment of pensions to ex-governors and their deputies in the state in a bid to cut the cost of governance.

Okowa said: “There is an existing law in Delta State on what accrued to the governors and their deputies, that I don’t want to touch.

“We are not thinking in that direction, my counterpart in Lagos may have reasons why he wants the law repealed but we in Delta don’t want to go into that.

READ ALSO: Lagos govt to abolish payment of pension to ex-governors, deputies

“I don’t want to comment on the decision of Lagos State governor. Each state has the power to make a decision concerning its governance.”

He also disclosed that governors from South-South part of the country would meet with the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, to discuss the approval given to Zamfara State government to manage the state’s resources.

He added: “That’s why South-South governors are insisting on restructuring and for us to manage our resources.

“We will be meeting with the President’s Chief of Staff on Friday in Port -Harcourt, so we believe our voice should be heard.

“If the federal government should allow Zamfara to manage their resources, South-South should be also be allowed to manage our own.”

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