By Chiangi Avese, Makurdi
The Benue State House of Assembly has repealed the law which made provisions for payment of pension to past governors and their deputies, describing the law as “exorbitant, unnecessary, and anti-masses” in its entirety.
The House in a plenary presided over by the Speaker, Hon. Hyacinth Aondona Dajoh, took the decision on Monday after the committee on Appointments, Public service and Pension matters had meritoriously considered the law and its impact on the Benue people and presented its findings to the House.
According to the Committee, “the immediate past governor of Benue State, Dr. Samuel Ortom had initiated the bill to provide for life pension for all former governors and their deputies at the evening of his administration”.
The infamous bill which was hastily passed by the nineth Assembly on the 25th May, 2023, has provisions for the payment of 40 million naira in four months to ex-governors in addition to two SUV cars as well as six stewards. The ex-deputy governors were by the law, entitled to 25 million naira as stipends to be paid also in four months, one SUV car and three stewards.
The Chairman, House Committee on Appointments, Public service and Pension matters, Hon. Douglas Akya, representing Makurdi South State Constituency, in presenting the committee’s findings to the House maintained that, “the law is exorbitant, and the State cannot fund it from the available lean resources, and thus, cannot guarantee its implementation”.
Hon. Akya further informed the House that, “the bill was not made in the best interest of the state, particularly, at the time when workers were being owned several months of salaries, pension and gratuities of retirees”.
“This bill and the subsequent law was, and is not in the best interest of the Benue people. I therefore recommend that the law be repealed”.
Other members who spoke in support of the motion to repeal the law including Hon. Samuel Agada, representing Ogbadibo state Constituency, Hon. Cephas Ashwa, Konshisha State Constituency, and Hon. Berger Alfred, Makurdi North State Constituency, expressed joy over the findings of the committee, describing the law as “insensitive, unnecessary, and anti-masses”.
Also, at the plenary, the house passed into law a bill to regulate the engagement of casual staff in the Benue State Public service and purposes connected there with.
The new law restrains employers from engaging and keeping casual staff for more than two years.
Members who spoke against the development expressed deep displeasure that people have been working as casual staff in government agencies for years with no efforts by the agencies to absorb them into the State civil service.
A bill to prohibit harassment, and extortion of money from investors, developers and businessmen in Benue State, otherwise called, “Matching Ground”, and a bill to provide for the retirement age and enhanced remuneration of Magistrates and legal officers in Benue State Ministry of Justice were also passed during the Monday’s plenary.
