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SERAP Issues Two-week Ultimatum For Life Pension Withdrawal Of AMAC Ex-officials

SERAP said the bill for payment of life pensions to chairmen, vice-chairmen, speakers and other officials of AMAC was illegal.

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The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has issued a Two-week ultimatum to Abuja Municipal Area Council to withdraw and revoke the bill for the unconstitutional payment of life pensions to ex-officials.

In a letter to AMAC Vhairman, Abdullahi  Candido, signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP said the bill for payment of life pensions to chairmen, vice-chairmen, speakers and other officials of AMAC was illegal.

The letter read, “If the bill/edict is not withdrawn within 14 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter, we will take all appropriate legal actions to challenge the illegality and to compel you to comply with our request.’’

SERAP alleged that under the bill/edict, AMAC’s past council chairmen would receive an annual pension of N500,000; former vice chairmen were to receive N300,000  while former speakers would be paid N200,000.

It added, “The payment of life pensions to the council’s ex-chairmen, vice-chairmen and speakers would cause massive financial crisis.

“It will also cripple the council’s ability to discharge its mandate of providing public goods and services to the people of Abuja.

“In addition, it will put jeopardy in citizens’ access to those services.’’

According to SERAP, the payment of life pensions to AMAC’s officials undermines the very concept of representative government.
It said that paying life pensions was a flagrant violation of the 1999 Constitution and the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission Act, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.