Date: 2018-03-14

Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, yesterday signed into law an amended bill stopping payment of pension to former governors and deputy governors during any period they hold political or public office.

The bill forwarded to the state House of Assembly by Ahmed, sought review of the existing law where payment of pension would be suspended for erstwhile governors and deputy governors holding political or public offices after their tenures.

The passage of the amendment bill followed the consideration of the report of the Assembly Committee on Establishment and Public Service on the public hearing on the legislative framework at the committee of the whole assembly.

Stakeholders at the public hearing on the amendment bill unanimously voted that payment of pension for the former governors and deputy governors be halted if such persons are still holding political or public offices.

Section "6A (3) of the amendment bill says:, "Where pension and other benefits are suspended under subsection (1) in respect of any person, such pension and other benefits shall be resumed from the date the person ceases to hold any political or public office.

Consequently, the state assembly recently passed the bill into law. However, a Government House statement issued in Ilorin yesterday and signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Media and Communications, Dr. Femi Akorede, said: "With the signing of the amended law by Ahmed, former governors and their deputies shall not be entitled to pension and other benefits whenever they hold a political or public office."

Similarly, the governor gave his assent to the Ilorin Township (Prohibition Against the Production, Sale and Consumption of Liquor in Certain Areas) Law, 2018 as also passed by the state assembly.

Under the law, no person would be allowed to produce, sell, store or openly consume alcohol within specified areas in the metropolis.

Any person who contravenes the provision of this law shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding N100,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding six month or both.