By Matthew Ajai-Kume
A bill for the amendment of the law to make provisions for the maintenance of former governors and their deputies and other matters connected thereto, 2023 has enjoyed second reading .
The bill enjoyed second reading during on Thursday’s Plenary of the House presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Lami Danladi. Leading a debate on the matter, member representing Ogbadibo State Constituency, Hon Samuel Agada, stated that, “I rise to lead debate for the second reading of a Bill for a law to amend a law to make Provisions for the Maintenance Of Former Elected Governors Of The State And Their Deputies And For Other Matters Connected Thereto, 2023. The provisions of Standing Orders (S.O.) XII (83) limit the Second Reading of Bills to the “general merits and principles” of a Bill and not its details. ”
“Mr. Speaker, distinguished colleagues, recall that the principal Law, referred to as, “The Maintenance of Former Elected Governors of Benue State and Their Deputies Law, 2023” was hurriedly passed on the 25th day of May, 2023 without public hearing and some Honourable Members of the Ninth Assembly believed to be critical of the Bill were scared away from the precinct of the House of Assembly,” Hon. Agada further stated.
According to Hon. Agada, “the law in question provides for bogus and outrageous life benefits for former elected governors of the state and their deputies when our fathers and mothers who served the state for 35 years are languishing in retirement without their pensions and gratuities under the flimsy guise of ‘paucity’ of funds”.
He said, the provisions and intendment of this law are far detached from the current economic realities of Benue State and are therefore counterproductive.
Hon. Agada affirmed that, “it is economically and developmentally unwise for us to incur more recurrent expenditures against capital expenditures when progressive countries all over the world are cutting down the cost of governance and prioritizing capital projects.
“As one of the progressive states in the Nigerian Federation, Benue cannot afford to be different,” he noted.
Seconding, member representing Kwande West State Constituency, Hon.Thomas Dugeri said, there is need to cut down some of the contents of the law to current economic reality.
Contributing, member representing Katsina-Ala West, Honourables Peter Ipusu, Oju 1, Cyril Ikong, Oju 2, Emmanuel Blessed-Onah all called for the repeal of the law while others called for public hearing to know the minds of the people.
Hon. Blessed-Onah in particular called for inclusion of Principal Officers of the House into the law.
Presiding, Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon. Mrs Danladi called on the Clerk, Barr. Bernard Nule to read the Bill for the second time while the Bill was referred to the House Standing Committee on Appointments, Public Services and Pension Matters for further legislative scrutiny.
Meanwhile, some Bills that were presented to the House during its Thursday plenary by Majority Leader of the House and other members also enjoyed First Reading.
They included: a Bill for A Law To Establish The Benue State Orientation Agency For Effective and Consistent Re-Orientation Of Benue Citizens And For Purposes Connected Therewith, 2023 and A Bill For A Law To Establish The Benue State Legislative Budget And Research Office And For Purposes Connected Thereto, 2023.
Presiding, the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Mrs Danladi asked the Clerk of the House to read the Bills for the First time while the Deputy Speaker referred the Bills to the House Standing Committee for Rules and Business for further action.
