5th December, 2019
Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi on Thursday revealed that he has never requested or collected pension as a former governor.
Amaechi, who was governor of Rivers state between 2007 and 2015 and currently a minister, said he believed ex-governors who are serving senators or ministers are not entitled to pension.
Amaechi’s comment follows a report on a federal high court in Ikoyi asking the federal government to recover pensions and allowances received by former and serving senators as ex-governors.
The judgement followed a suit by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) against the government in 2017 over its “failure to stop former governors from receiving double pay and life pensions”.
With Amachi been listed as one of the former governors affected by the judgement, the minister said he would turn down pension if offered to him.
He said in a tweet on Thursday: “I have never requested for or collected one kobo as pension from R/State Govt. If offered, I will politely decline & request that the money should be given to Rivers State pensioners.
“I do not believe that I should receive pension as ex-gov of R/State while serving as a minister.”
I have never requested for or collected one kobo as pension from R/State Govt. If offered, I will politely decline & request that the money should be given to Rivers State pensioners. I do not believe that I should receive pension as ex-gov of R/State while serving as a minister https://t.co/dDfbQMdcRi
— Chibuike.R. Amaechi (@ChibuikeAmaechi) December 5, 2019