Public Officers Should Stop Receiving Multiple Salaries – Adegboruwa

A Lagos based lawyer and activist, Ebun-Olu Adeboruwa Esq has
joined in the support to stop all public officers from receiving
multiple salaries, including the president. His support is based on
a recent agitation of people to review the salaries and emoluments
of certain public officers who are said to be earning multiple
benefits as a result a of the several offices that they occupy,
both presently and in the recent past.

“I support this initiative wholeheartedly save that such
campaign should be holistic and not targeted at any individual or
institution,”he said.

“Given the resolve of the President to stop all corrupt
practices and all forms of impunity, the campaign to abolish
multiple pay for all public officers should indeed start with the
President.”

His findings are based on the fact that “Under and by virtue of
the Armed Forces Act, (s.25) a retired army officer, such as the
President-elect, is forever a part and parcel of the Nigerian
Army.”

Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa Esq.also said “Under and by virtue of
Paragraph 1(1) of the 1st Schedule of the Armed Forces Pensions
Act, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (Retd.), is entitled to and has
indeed been receiving and benefiting from pension, as an officer
who held a regular commission, before his retirement.”

“Major-General Mohammadu Buhari (Retd.) seized power in Nigeria
from an elected President, on December 31, 1983 and forcefully
crowned himself as Head of State. He forcefully held on to power
for 1 year, 239 days, before he was also deposed on August 27,
1985, by General Ibrahim Babangida (Retd.). He is thus a retired
commissioned officer of the Nigerian Army and he remains so for as
long as he lives.”

He further went on to say that “Major-General Muhammadu Buhari
(Retd.) attended the Council of State meetings as former Head of
State, which office he held in his capacity as a
Major-General.”
“Under and by virtue of section 1 of the Remuneration of Former
Presidents and Heads of State Act No. 32 of 1999, Major-General
Muhammadu Buhari (Retd.), is entitled to a very fat salary as
pension, for life.”

Adegboruwa Esq, went on to enumerate the benefits Mr
President is entitled to and they include:
“Chief Administrative Officer of not less than Grade Level 12;
Personal Secretary of not less than Grade Level 12; Four armed
policemen as his private security; A top ranking State Security
Service officer as his Aide De Camp;

Three official vehicles to be changed every four years;Three
drivers to be paid by Federal Government; Diplomatic Passport for
life; Free medical treatment in Nigeria for himself and members of
his family; Free medical treatment abroad for himself and members
of his family; Thirty days annual leave, Well equipped and well
furnished office accommodation Well equipped and well furnished
living apartment, not less than five bedroom duplex; Free
telephone, etc.”

According to him “the President became entitled to all the
above, by virtue of his membership of the Nigerian Army; he became
Head of State, by virtue of his commission as an officer of the
Nigerian Army and he has earned this salaries and benefits as such,
over the years, even when he contested elections in 2003, 2007,
2011 and 2015.

To the Activist, “Presently, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari
(Retd.) is earning over N3m monthly as Executive President of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria, by virtue of the 2015 general
elections, which he won.”

He finally stated that” let all public officers, who have
occupied one position or the other in the past, be given the option
to decide which benefit they want to earn, as between their past
emoluments and their present ones, so that in any given occasion,
let no public officer earn more than one emolument for more than
one office, starting of course, with the President.”

A Lagos based lawyer and activist, Ebun-Olu Adeboruwa Esq has
joined in the support to stop all public officers from receiving
multiple salaries, including the president. His support is based on
a recent agitation of people to review the salaries and emoluments
of certain public officers who are said to be earning multiple
benefits as a result a of the several offices that they occupy,
both presently and in the recent past.

“I support this initiative wholeheartedly save that such
campaign should be holistic and not targeted at any individual or
institution,”he said.

“Given the resolve of the President to stop all corrupt
practices and all forms of impunity, the campaign to abolish
multiple pay for all public officers should indeed start with the
President.”

His findings are based on the fact that “Under and by virtue of
the Armed Forces Act, (s.25) a retired army officer, such as the
President-elect, is forever a part and parcel of the Nigerian
Army.”

Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa Esq.also said “Under and by virtue of
Paragraph 1(1) of the 1st Schedule of the Armed Forces Pensions
Act, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (Retd.), is entitled to and has
indeed been receiving and benefiting from pension, as an officer
who held a regular commission, before his retirement.”

“Major-General Mohammadu Buhari (Retd.) seized power in Nigeria
from an elected President, on December 31, 1983 and forcefully
crowned himself as Head of State. He forcefully held on to power
for 1 year, 239 days, before he was also deposed on August 27,
1985, by General Ibrahim Babangida (Retd.). He is thus a retired
commissioned officer of the Nigerian Army and he remains so for as
long as he lives.”

He further went on to say that “Major-General Muhammadu Buhari
(Retd.) attended the Council of State meetings as former Head of
State, which office he held in his capacity as a
Major-General.”
“Under and by virtue of section 1 of the Remuneration of Former
Presidents and Heads of State Act No. 32 of 1999, Major-General
Muhammadu Buhari (Retd.), is entitled to a very fat salary as
pension, for life.”

Adegboruwa Esq, went on to enumerate the benefits Mr
President is entitled to and they include:
“Chief Administrative Officer of not less than Grade Level 12;
Personal Secretary of not less than Grade Level 12; Four armed
policemen as his private security; A top ranking State Security
Service officer as his Aide De Camp;

Three official vehicles to be changed every four years;Three
drivers to be paid by Federal Government; Diplomatic Passport for
life; Free medical treatment in Nigeria for himself and members of
his family; Free medical treatment abroad for himself and members
of his family; Thirty days annual leave, Well equipped and well
furnished office accommodation Well equipped and well furnished
living apartment, not less than five bedroom duplex; Free
telephone, etc.”

According to him “the President became entitled to all the
above, by virtue of his membership of the Nigerian Army; he became
Head of State, by virtue of his commission as an officer of the
Nigerian Army and he has earned this salaries and benefits as such,
over the years, even when he contested elections in 2003, 2007,
2011 and 2015.

To the Activist, “Presently, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari
(Retd.) is earning over N3m monthly as Executive President of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria, by virtue of the 2015 general
elections, which he won.”

He finally stated that” let all public officers, who have
occupied one position or the other in the past, be given the option
to decide which benefit they want to earn, as between their past
emoluments and their present ones, so that in any given occasion,
let no public officer earn more than one emolument for more than
one office, starting of course, with the President.”