Enugu Assembly Bow to Pressure, Steps Down on Life Pension Bill for Ex-Governors

Following a protest, the Enugu State House of Assembly has stepped down on the bill proposing a lifetime pension for ex-sex-wife governors, their deputies and their wives.

During a Tuesday plenary, the Speaker of the House, Edward Ubosi, announced the stepping down of the Bill.

Mr Ubosi said the stepping down of the Bill would help his colleagues to thoroughly go through it to enable them to delete as well as add necessary sections to it.

The speaker said the public should have allowed the lawmakers to study the bill, which just passed through the first reading.

He said former governors serving as senators would not benefit from the pension scheme, while the spouse of the former governors would also not benefit from the scheme since the Constitution did not recognise the spouses.

Earlier, the Leader of the Assembly and the sponsor of the bill, Ikechukwu Ezeugwu, expressed shock at the level of protest that followed the presentation of the Bill. Mr Ezeugwu said the protest was not necessary.

The leader said the public ”could not dictate nor teach the lawmakers how to do their job of enacting laws for the growth and development of the state” and warned members of the public to mind their utterances.

Mr Ezeugwu, however, said the Assembly would be guided by the opinions of their constituents in the consideration of the bill and added that it would hold a public hearing to allow members of the public to make their inputs.

Source: PremiumTimes