Bill to Stop Pension for Tinubu, Fashola, Others Scale Second Reading
- A popular bill in the Lagos state House of Assembly has scaled second reading
- The bill seeks to repeal the law which grants pensions and other emoluments to governors and deputies after leaving office
- Some lawmakers in the House, however, called for an amendment instead of total repealing
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The Lagos state House of Assembly on Monday, May 24 read for a second time a bill that seeks to repeal the law which grants pension and other emoluments to governors and deputies after leaving office.
The new bill which was debated on the floor of the House at a sitting presided over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa and monitored by Legit.ng.
The bill is titled 'A Bill for a law to repeal the law to provide for the payment of pensions and other fringe benefits to public office holders in Lagos state and for other connected matters.'
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The lawmakers argued that it would not be too good to repeal the law in its entirety as there were some important sections and stipulations that should be considered.
Speaking concerning the bill, Hon. Oluyinka Ogundimu (Agege II), explained that the bill is to ensure the stoppage of pensions to governors and deputies when they leave office adding that this decision was in consideration of the country's current economic challenges.
Ogundimu argued that the governors and their deputies and other such political office holders should be made to enjoy some benefits no matter how little.
He also argued that the bill should be amended in such a way that it would not throw former political officers to security challenges since if the original law is repealed, it would mean withdrawing all security agents and domestic staff earlier attached to them.
On his part, Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu (Eti-Osa II), noted that the parliament has the power to make and review laws, especially where it includes one like the pension bill that was passed 14 years ago and needs to be looked at again.
He said the objective of the bill as raised by the executive is to ensure that the state begins to look inward in relation to the cost of governance.
While rounding off the debate, Speaker Obasa observed the questions and suggestions raised by the lawmakers.
He also supported arguments that repealing the law in totality would expose former governors and deputies to security challenges.
He said:
“I don't think we should trash it in totality.”
He also committed the bill to the House committee on establishment with a two-week mandate for a report to be submitted.
Recall that the Lagos state House of Assembly on Tuesday, May 4, suspended three local government council chairmen over alleged disregard for the guidelines governing their activities.
The House in a statement sent to Legit.ng, said it can no longer continue to watch while the council chairmen stubbornly flout the state's local government guidelines.
In another development, members of the Lagos state House of Assembly resumed from the Sallah break on Tuesday, May 18 with a call on President Muhammadu Buhari to address the nation over issues relating to insecurity and rising sectional agitations across the country.
The House members suggested that the National Assembly amend the Act establishing the Nigeria Police Force to create state police.
Source: Legit.ng
