Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, has defended his N200 million annual pay retirement perks saying that the newly passed bill is in the interest of his state.
The governor speaking through the state’s Commissioner for Information and Communications, Aniekan Umana, said the existing law was merely extended to curb wastage of public funds.
Mr. Umana was said to have spoken on a radio program aired on Planet FM, a station in Uyo.
Premium Times reports:
The commissioner is quoted to have said, “The bill is simply an amendment to the law enacted in 2006. It exists in several states. What the bill seeks to achieve is limit endless medical expenditure.
“The old law didn’t put any cap on medical expenditure. There was no limit. But the governor in his own wisdom decided it was important we put a ceiling so that we don’t make it open ended any more.
“The governor is not seeking an amendment in his own interest; rather it is in the interest of the state because if you leave expenditure open ended it means you can spend close to N500million in one year without anybody stopping you since there is no law.
“People must also understand that medical expenses provision is not a payment. It is not as if you have access to it. There are procedures before you can get it.”