Kaduna Assembly bars govt. from funding ex-governors’ foreign medical trips

Lawmakers say government will only pay for medical treatment in government-owned hospitals.

The Kaduna State House of Assembly on Thursday barred the state government from funding foreign medical trips of former governors and their deputies.

The House at its sitting, presided by the Speaker, Muazu Gangara considered and passed into law the Pension and Gratuity (Governor and Deputy Governor) Amendment Law, 2013.

The Assembly members were unanimous in passing the law, insisting that it was essential to cut down on frivolous spending by government.

The law, which was proposed by the executive arm of government, provides that the treatment of a former governor or deputy would only be paid for by the state government if it was done in “any government hospital within the country”.

The law also slashed the utility allowance of the former chief executives from 30 per cent of their basic salaries to 10 per cent, but allowed them to have four bedroom furnished duplex, two new vehicles and one personal assistant.

The speaker, directed the clerk of the assembly to present a clean copy of the law to Gov. Mukhtar Yero for assent.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the House also commenced deliberations on the poor reception of state-owned radio and television stations, describing the situation as worrisome.

The motion, tabled by Bitiyong Yakubu (PDP-Kaura), noted that the stations were essential to the ongoing reconciliation in the state and in promoting government programmes.