Ondo State Government is to pay a whopping sum of over N104million to settle the severance package for the outgoing members of the State House of Assembly. This amount does not include what is to be paid to the lawmakers’ political aides who will also be exiting service with their principals.
It was learnt that the Lawmakers who are now going around with smiling faces as they might have been paid secretly so as to have enough fund to prosecute their elections come April 11.
The Niche realiable gathered that each of the 26 members would receive ₦4.011m ($25,569.92) as severance allowance which is the amount to be paid to the lawmakers after their successful four-year tenure in office.
Also to be paid are their aides ranging between N1.6million and N1.8million as each lawmakers has Personal Assistant while the Speaker has at least four aides, (Special Assistant Legal matters, Chief of Staff, Special Assistant Political Matters and Personal Assistant). The Deputy Speaker has three aides, (Special Assistant Legal matters, Special Assistant Political Matters and Personal Assistant.
Speaking with the Niche in Akure, a member of the House who wants to remain anonymous said “Our severance is between N3million and N4million saying that to be precise it is a little above N4million.
According to him, what the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker is getting is the same N4 million across board in Ondo state noting that each of the Lawmakers is qualified to become Speaker or the Deputy Speaker therefore there is no basis for discrimination on the payment of Severance Allowance.
Although the Lawmaker did not confirm whether the severance allowance has been paid but a former member of House in the last regime, said “Yes, payment have been made for the 26 lawmakers saying that he cannot say precisely how much was paid to each of the lawmakers.
However, Mimiko during his presentation of budget early this year estimated the sum of N130 billion for the 2015 fiscal year to the State House of Assembly for consideration and approval.
The budget estimate, according to the Governor was reduced by 23 per cent from the 2014 budget of the state which stood at N168 billion.
According to the governor, the reduction in this year’s appropriation was attributed to the prevailing economic realities in the country and the global economic downturn.
Mimiko explained that the sum of N77 billion was budgeted for recurrent expenditure, while a total of N53 billion was earmarked for capital expenditure in the 2015 fiscal year.
The analysis of the budget estimate indicates that the economic and social sectors have the lion share of 30 percent, while law and justice have the least share with 0.66 percent.
Mimiko lamented that the dwindling crude oil price was affecting the economy of the state like other states in the Federation noting that efficient management of public fund would ease the state of the present economic pressure.