The Benue State House of Assembly, BSHA, has repealed the law giving right to the maintenance of former elected Governors and their Deputies in the State.
Recall that the bill was passed and assented to by former Governor Samuel Ortom in May 2023.
However, on Monday, a Bill to repeal the law was presented by the Chairman of the House standing Committee on Appointments, Public Service and Pension Matters, Douglas Akya.
Akya is a member representing Makurdi South Constituency in the State Assembly.
Addressing newsmen after the presentation, Akya stated that the law was not enacted in the interest of the State. He maintained that State would use its lean resources to finance other pressing obligations.
Supporting the motion, some of the lawmakers pointed that the meagre resources of the state makes it unwise to spend exorbitantly on former governors and their deputies. They stated that the State has a huge infrastructure gaps and debt burden to continue to service the former governors and their deputies.
Recall that there had been public outcry since the bill was signed into law by the Ortom administration. This was particularly championed by then opposition party, APC. The party later won the 2023 Governorship election
As the party that criticized the Pension law the most, there have been calls on Governor to repeal the law.
However, the repeal of the law is coming one year after the APC took over governance of the State.
In a related development, the Assembly on Monday, passed the bill to prohibit harassment and extortion of money from investors, developers and businessmen popularly known as ‘marching ground’.
The motion was moved by the Chairman of House standing committee on Lands, Survey and Solid Minerals, Elias Audu. He stated that when passed, the law would address the excesses of miscreants in the State.
These are hoodlums who go about extorting land from developers and residents, he stated.
Recall that the Abia State House of Assembly last month repealed the Pension Law in the State.
source: Channels TV
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