On January 20, 2024, Babatunde Fashola, a former governor of Lagos State and the immediate past minister of works and housing, was a guest on Arise TV. The former Lagos State Governor appeared on the Arise network’s exclusive segment tagged: Life After Public Service.
While answering questions on the benefit he gets for serving the country in the last 21 years, he said: “the benefit I get is (I think) 577,000 naira monthly pension from Lagos State. That is all I get, and I have come out to deny the billions.
Claim: As a former governor of Lagos, Babatunde Fashola earns N577,000 naira monthly pension
Verification:
Before its eventual ammendment in 2021, the Lagos State Governor and Deputy Governor Pensions Law of 2007 was passed into law by the State House of Assembly to provide several benefits for former governors and deputies who had governed Lagos State. The pension package includes:
- Annual Basic Salary: 100% of the annual basic salaries of the incumbent governor and deputy.
- Accommodation: One residential house in Lagos and another in FCT for the former governor; one residential house in Lagos for the deputy.
- Transport. Three cars, two backup cars and one pilot car for the ex-governor every three years; two cars, two backup cars and one pilot car for the deputy every three years.
- Furniture: 300% of annual basic salary every two years.
- House maintenance: 10% of annual basic salary.
- Domestic staff: Cook, steward, gardener and other domestic staff (no limit) who shall be pensionable.
- Medical: Free medical treatment for ex-governor and deputy and members of their families (not just spouses).
- Security: Two SSS operatives, one female officer, eight policemen (four each for house and personal security) for the ex-governor, one SSS operative and two policemen (one each for house and personal security) for the deputy.
- PA: 25% of annual basic salary.
- Car maintenance: 30% of annual basic salary.
- Entertainment: 10% of annual basic salary.
- Utility: 20% of annual basic salary.
- Drivers: Pensionable (no limit to number of drivers).
- Severance gratuity: Not specified.
According to the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) and a report from a reputable media organisation, a State Governor’s basic (monthly) salary is 648,581 naira, while the deputy earns 616,063 naira per month. Their annual salaries amount to 7,782,968 naira and 7,392,753 naira, respectively.
Therefore, since Fashola left office as the governor of Lagos State in May 2015, his monthly pension (aside from other emoluments and benefits) was 648,581 naira.
However, in August 2021, the Lagos State House of Assembly amended the state Pension Law for former governors, deputies and other political office holders. The highlight of the amendment is the slash of the benefits and emoluments by 50 per cent. Other amendments include the total expungement of the provision of houses in Abuja and Lagos for former governors and the reduction of cars from three to two.
With the amended law, the monthly pension of the governor, having been slashed by half, will drop from 648,581 naira to 324,290 naira, five kobo. This is aside from all other benefits (highlighted above).
ALL WE KNOW
The CDD War Room found that the basic monthly pension of a former Lagos State governor as of August 2021 was 648,581 naira (aside from other annual benefits and emoluments). However, when the amendment bill was later passed into law in August 2021, the monthly pension was slashed to 324,290 naira. Based on that amendment (as of January 2024) when Fashola granted the interview, the monthly pension of a former governor of Lagos is expected to be 324,290 naira.
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