Ex-Governors, Deputies to Earn Life Pension In Enugu

Posted by African Examiner African News, Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Tuesday, May 9th, 2017

From Ignatius Okpara, Enugu

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The Enugu state House of Assembly has passed a law amending the gubernatorial pension bill of 2015 ex-Governors and their Deputies to take pensions for life.

However, the law has a proviso that the governor or the deputy must not be impeached in order to earn such life pensions.

Prior to the passage of the bill into law, leader of the House, Hon. Ikechukwu Ezeugwu who presented the executive amended bill, noted that the amended bill sought to give a life-time pension to politically elected governors and their duties, who were not impeached out of office.

Ezeugwu said that the amendment had become necessary to accommodate governors that had helped to development the state from the Old Anambra State and old Enugu State as well as the present politically elected governors in the new Enugu State.

In his submission, Hon . Paul Nnajiofor, representing Nkanu East, said that the amended bill was long overdue.

According to him, “This law as amended will give our respected and revered elder statesmen their due and appreciate them for the immense contribution to the development of the state.

Also contributing , Mary Ugwu, representing Enugu South Rural, stated that the amended bill would make future governors and their deputies to serve with dedication and transparency.

“It will have enduring effect on Chief Executives of the State; thus, making them to serve meritoriously; knowing that he or she have something to fall back on tomorrow after office,’’ Ugwu said.

Speaker of the House, Mr Edward Ubochi, in his remarks had thanked the lawmakers for doing a good job and seeing to the timely passage of the amended bill into law.

He said: “The reason for passing this amended bill is to allow citizens of Enugu State, who have served this state as governors in Old Anambra and Old Enugu to receive a pension.

“This will make them be like and feel like others and also reap from the benefit of their immense contributions to the development of the present Enugu State,’’ Ubochi said.