The attention of His Excellency Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, CON, has been drawn to a news story in The Nation newspaper of Saturday, January 02, 2016, titled: “Obanikoro, Shekarau, other Jonathan’s ministers to lose severance package”.
The question begging for an answer here is “how can you lose something you never had?” Malam, like his other counterparts in the Goodluck Jonathan cabinet, did not request for severance package from this administration. Therefore the question of their being refused does not arise. This was a sensational news story which only served to depreciate the seriousness of the war against corruption.
For the avoidance of doubt, and to set the records straight, all the ministers who joined the Jonathan administration at a later date were fully aware that they were not entitled to severance package since they did not meet the two-year benchmark. They were fully aware of the extant laws on compensation as they affect public office holders, and did not request to be paid what they were not entitled to, either while in office or after they left.
Therefore, the claim by the newspaper that the former ministers may forfeit their severance pay is both inaccurate and presumptuous.
We should not forget that Malam was a former State Chief Executive for eight years. It was under his watch as Executive Governor of Kano state that pensioners received their full severance benefits, for the first time in the country. He was therefore conversant with the Pension Laws when he joined the Jonathan government.
It must be reiterated here that the primary motivation for Malam in accepting appointment into the Federal Executive Council was to serve this great country for which he remains grateful and harbors no regrets.
SULE YA’U SULE
