Pension Benefits for Politicians: A Moral Wickedness Against Society
By Paschal Ifeanyi Nwosu Esq
The greatest happiness of the greatest number is the foundation of morals and legislations’, says, Jeremy Bentham , implying that leadership wickedness undermines the greatest happiness of the greatest number .
This is often the case where legislative power is abused inappropriately to better the lives of the privileged few to the detriment of the polity .
The greater good is bedeviled by political criminality perpetrated by politicians that have insulated theirselves from the emasculating poverty , hardship and economic dysfunction in our polity by creating robust privileges in their favour against the greater good .
This bedevilnents are achieved through policy frameworks and legislations .
The legislative platform has become the arena for budget padding ,state larceny and, systemic plunder by the creation of privileges.
Laws are made to serve group greed and benefits such as the laws providing for pension plans and gratuity to politicians, and political office appointees .
Pensions and gratuities provide financial security for retirees helping them maintain a descent standard of living after their working years .
It’s not mearnt to siphon systemically , state resources for the benefits of a few people called politicians who are not considered by public policy for such schemes .
In Nigeria, pensions are managed through the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) . Politicians make no contributory pensions and deserve nothing from it or the public purse .
They are not under employment and contributions haven’t been deducted from their wages . So they lack any claims and rights to gratuities and pensions .
Despite the unjustifiable allocations and entitlements of Nigerian legislators, governors and appointees , it is sad to see them making laws for pensions and gratuities for their ‘retirements’. This decadent sense of entitlement is corrosive to the public good .
In the backdrop of escalating hardship, lifetime unemployment for many Nigerians , the payments of pensions and gratuities by States and Federal government to politicians is insensitive in our impoverished country where successive governments are dependent on foreign loans to pay salaries and fund capital projects .
These pension and gratuity plans created by the self serving political elements comes with other benefits such as houses in the states and federal capitals with other health and educational benefits within and outside the country for the retirees and their families .
It’s noteworthy that the National Assembly has approved life pensions for certain officials, including the President, Vice President, Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Speaker, and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives amongst others .
Do they really need these things ? Was that included in a contract with Nigeria while canvassing for electoral positions ? Is it constitutional or legally permissible ?
In the light of our economic hardship , it’s insensitive to allocate so much resources to just a few , considering that our overburdened economy is financed by loans, our currency severally devalued while we are in a recurring recession in Nigeria .
In a country that the people have been compelled to bear greater burden by the removal of subsidies , the least these politicians can do is to bin these privileges accruing to them.
Moreso , these payments of pensions and gratuities to ‘retiring’ politicians in Nigeria has sparked controversy with many arguing that it’s a form of privilege that undermines the greater good, amounting to gross social injustice.
A court of Appeal , however , has faulted these benefits in a recent decision which many hailed as a triumph for democracy .
In a well considered ruling , the court of Appeal faulted the payment of pension or gratuity to political office holders and political appointees and ruling that the practice was morally wrong and bedeviling .
According to the three man panel of the court , it is unjustifiable in the face of the nations socio economic reality for few office holders who hold office for few years to allocate huge public funds to theirselves in the name of pensions and severance packages while civil servants that have committed most of their productive years to government services are denied their retirement benefits .
In some states public criticisms has led to the reversals of the policies of approving pension and gratuities for politicians . While ,
some states have implemented pension laws for political office holders, but details on specific states and their policies are limited. For instance :
while Zamfara state repealed a law providing for pension and other allowances for former governors, deputy governors, speakers, and deputy speakers in 2019. Nasarawa State approved a N2 billion payment to clear pension arrears for local and state government retirees accumulated since 1999 to 2011-
In Kwara State retirees are still struggling to receive their pension benefits while politicians are growing fat on public misery .
The controversy surrounding politicians’ pensions and gratuities highlights the need for reform and greater accountability in Nigeria’s pension system.
By ensuring that politicians’ benefits are fair and reasonable, Nigeria can take a step towards a more equitable society..
In conclusion, the moral quandary of politicians pensions in Nigeria is instructive and in need of reconsideration .
Nigeria, a nation grappling with escalating poverty and economic decay, a contentious issue has sparked heated debate: the payment of pensions and gratuities to retiring politicians.
The people of Nigeria deserve a system that prioritizes their needs and well-being over the interests of a select few.
To address this issue, Nigeria can look to international best practices, such as transparent and accountable pension systems that prioritize the needs of all citizens.
It is up to policymakers and citizens alike to demand a better future for all Nigerians by questioning the rationale for the payments of Pensions and gratuities to politicians .
While these politicians have grown affluent on public funds, many Nigerians struggle to make ends meet amid escalating poverty .
The practice of paying pensions to politicians has been deemed morally reprehensible by the Court of Appeal, which ruled that allocating huge public funds to politicians’ pensions and severance packages is unjustifiable, given the country’s socio-economic reality. This only helps to perpetrate a system of inequality.
As the nation struggles to address its economic challenges, it is imperative that politicians’ benefits are reevaluated to ensure equity , fairness and reasonableness . Payments of Pensions and gratuities for politicians must be discarded .
PCI Nwosu Esq
paschalnwosu@gmail.com
