Former Malian Prime Minister gives up pension benefits to public

Former Malian Prime Minister Moussa Mara has given up his pension benefits, saying the public needs the money more than he does.

In a letter addressed to incumbent Prime Minister Kokalla Maiga, Mara said his decision was “motivated by the desire to relieve public finances and help direct their meagre resources towards amenities more useful to their populations”.

Mara served as prime minister for nine months between 2014 and 2015.

Before that, he was minister of town planning but unsuccessful presidential candidate in 2013, when Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta defeated Soumaïla Cissé in a run-off.

As part of his pension, Mara’s home and electricity bills were covered by the state and his mobile phone bill was also paid for, on top of a monthly cash payout

He said would be paying his own bills from the end of August.