By Uzoh Ugwueze, Enugu
Following public outcry and anger over the pensions bill for ex-governors of Enugu state, the state assembly lawmakers are set to withdraw the bill.
Orient Daily reports that the social media has literally been on fire ever since the bill went public.
Although the bill was an amendment of an existing state law, it has received a backlash from the members of the society, including several pressure groups.
The Save Enugu Group, (SNG) was the first to fire a shot, warning that it was going to shut down the State Assembly.
This was followed by the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP, which also issued a 21-day ultimatum to the State lawmakers.
Several other groups have also been mobilising, asking the lawmakers to “kill off the bill” or face their wrath.
The SNG, in a statement, said the bill must be killed immediately by the state lawmakers for peace and tranquillity in the state’s political arena to be sustained. It said the body is already mobilising “conscious citizens, civil society groups and labour unions in the state to shut down Enugu State House of Assembly for as long as it will take to kill this most insensitive bill.”
According to the statement: “it will be a betrayal of the trust the people bestowed in their representatives serving as lawmakers for the state Assembly to think of passing such outdated bill. “It is shocking that while a state, with high internally generated revenue that runs into billions monthly, like Lagos has abolished pensions for former governors, the Enugu state House of Assembly is planning to deplete the meagre IGR generated in Enugu state on account of pensions for political office holders.
It’s more disheartening to discover that the proposed law is an executive bill. “More worrisome is the provision in the bill for medical allowance not exceeding N12 million per annum for one surviving spouse of a former Governor, “provided that such spouse was married to the governor while in office.
“What is more unfortunate in the bill is the provision seeking to mandate the state government to provide three vehicles for the ex-governor and replace them every four years.”
It stated that “also insulting is the provision that when a former governor or former deputy governor dies, the state government should make adequate arrangements and bear the financial responsibility for his burial.
“And that the state government should pay a condolence allowance of a sum equivalent to the annual basic salary of the incumbent to his next of kin. This is a country where people that served their states as civil servants for over 30 years are struggling to get their terminal benefits while a governor or his deputy who may have spent eight years or less will be buried at the state government’s expense and the next of kin paid after that.
“It is very unfortunate and we call on the Enugu State House of Assembly to kill the bill within the next 21 days or face the wrath of the citizens.
“In addition to other legal measures, we shall mobilise and guide all constituents in the state constituencies to immediately initiate the process of recalling their representatives at the state House of Assembly in the event that the lawmakers failed to kill the bill”, the group warned.
In a response to the outrage, the House is now set to “kill the bill”, Orient Daily learnt.
A statement issued by the Leader of the House, who is coincidentally the sponsor of the bill, Ikechukwu Ezeugwu, gave an indication that the bill would not survive beyond the next plenary of the House.
Although he was not categorial, a competent source disclosed that the bill would be withdrawn.
A statement he personally signed read: “The attention of the Enugu State House of Assembly has been drawn to the news making the round in the social media regarding the Gubernatorial Pensions Bill pending before the House.
“Section 124(5) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as Amended empowers the State Houses of Assembly to make laws for the grant of pension or gratuity to or in respect of a person who had held office as Governor or Deputy Governor.
“The said Section 124(5) provides as follows:‘Provisions may be made by a Law of a House of Assembly for the grant of a pension or gratuity to or in respect of a person who had held office as Governor or Deputy Governor and was not removed from office as a result of impeachment; and any provision made in pursuance of this subsection shall be a charge upon the consolidated Revenue Fund of the State’.
“From the above provisions of the Constitution, the Enugu State House of Assembly is basically carrying out its constitutional responsibility in accordance with the express provisions of the Constitution. The Enugu State Gubernatorial Pensions Law 2007 is an existing law.
“The House has not acted outside the purview of its constitutional mandate by introducing a Bill to amend an existing Law.For the purposes of clarity and information for those who may not know, the Enugu State Gubernatorial Pensions Law was first enacted in 2007 and subsequently amended in 2017.
“Furthermore, there are laid down rules and procedures to be followed before a Bill is passed into law. The first stage is to introduce the Bill to the House, i.e. First Reading (that was what the House just did in the instant case), the second stage is the Second Reading when the Honourable Members of the House will discuss the general principles; make their contributions for or against the Bill. Thereafter, the public would be invited for Public Hearing to enable them air their views as to the desirability or otherwise of the Bill to be passed into law. The outcomes of the public hearing will then guide and inform the decision of the House regarding the bill.
“The bill was introduced on Thursday 11th March, 2021 (NOT TUESDAY 11TH MARCH, 2021) as being circulated in the social media. This tells a lot about other misinformation concerning the pending Bill being deliberately circulated to portray the Enugu State House of Assembly in bad light before the public. It is also amazing that such a pending Bill is being treated as though it has already been passed into law.
“Enugu State House of Assembly remains committed to the discharge of its constitutional responsibilities without fear or favour.
“The House is also sensitive to the feelings of our people and therefore appreciates the feedback and reactions from our constituents and the public. This is the beauty of democracy and as the peoples’ representatives, we will not disappoint our people. Enugu State House of Assembly therefore assures our people that the House will follow due procedure and do the needful during the next plenary.”