TUC says severance package for politicians is ‘organised state looting’

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has denounced the apparent effort to increase the termination benefits for politicians in the nation, branding the initiative an organized state looting.

This was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by the TUC National President, Festus Osifo, who said the demand of the congress was that a stop must be put to the unwholesome and unpatriotic practice.

The TUC added that although patriotic Nigerians and organizations had opposed what he called an assault on the nation’s finances in the name of severance packages for political office holders throughout the years, it was regretful that the practice was further being institutionalized.

According to TUC, who cited media reports, the country will spend N63 billion on the severance payouts for political office holders leaving in 2023, including President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, and the twenty-eight governors.

“Even this sum does not tell the whole scandal that is severance allowances. For instance, the severance package for a Lagos State governor which led to protests and a forced downward review, awarded each former governor six new cars every three years, a house in Lagos costing N750 million and one in Abuja at N1 billion and uncapped free medical treatment for them and their family.

READ ALSO:TUC seeks support for flood victims in Nigeria

“Other benefits were 100 per cent of annual basic salary, a cook, steward, gardener, and other domestic staff, who are also pensionable. Unfortunately, similar arrangements cut across federal and state governments, the executive and legislature, regions and political parties.

“Another side of the scandal still exists with governors and national assembly members who get severance packages when they are likely to return for another tenure. Why pay severance to an ex-governor who is a serving senator? More harrowing is the fact that some of these beneficiaries are still pensioners of the public and private sectors,” it said.

The TUC also questioned why political office holders could receive such severance benefits in a nation that had been deemed the world’s poorest and in which her tertiary institutions had been forced to close for eight months due to lack of funding.

“A country with almost 20 million out-of-school children according to the latest global data by UNESCO; a country where floods have destroyed farms, pulled down houses and increased the number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)?

“Why should governors who cannot pay minimum wage receive severance package? Why should some ex-governors be paid 100 per cent of their annual basic salary for life after leaving office?

“These same people owed retirees arrears of the little pension they are legitimately entitled to. Such insensitivity! This profligacy must stop now!.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now