Minister of Solid Mineral Resources Dr. Kayode Fayemi
• Lagos lawyer seeks review of public officers’ emoluments
Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Kayode Fayemi, has asked the Social-Economic Rights Accountability Project (SERAP) to prove allegations that he has been receiving pensions and other remuneration from Ekiti State as former governor from 2014 till date.
He said the group should tender an unreserved public apology to him for including his name in the list of serving public officers who are earning pensions, or risk legal action should it fail to retract the allegation or show proof of such payments.
In a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Yinka Oyebode, in Abuja yesterday, Fayemi said he had not received a dime either as pension or severance package from the state government since leaving office on October 15, 2014.
He also said while he subscribes to scrutiny of public officials, such an endeavour should be done with due diligence to avoid making wild allegations capable of misleading members of the public.
“Contrary to SERAP’s statement, Fayemi does not enjoy any pension from Ekiti State government, neither has he received any severance package approved by the State House of Assembly or the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMFAC).
“All SERAP needed to have done in this case was to the minister or investigate the matter at the Ekiti State Ministry of Finance before going public on such a sensitive issue,” the statement said.
He, therefore, urged SERAP to do the needful by either substantiating the allegation with proof or retracting the embarrassing statement and offering a public apology to him within seven days or be prepared for a legal action.
Meanwhile, a Lagos-based lawyer and rights activist, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, has expressed support for a review of salaries and emoluments of past and present public officers who earn multiple benefits.
He said in a statement yesterday that given President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration resolve to end corruption in the country, the campaign to abolish multiple pay for public officers should indeed start with the president.
“I support this initiative wholeheartedly save that such campaign should be holistic and not targeted at any individuals or institutions,” he said.
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