On Thursday, 11th March 2021, the Leader of Enugu State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Ikechukwu Ezugwu introduced a Bill for: “A Law to provide for the granting of pension to the Governor and Deputy governor on leaving office” which seek to “Repeal the Enugu State Gubernatorial pensions law 2007”.
Bill was greeted with a serious public outcry which culminated into a peaceful demonstration at the Assembly Complex on Tuesday, 16th March, 2021; the day the House is expected to deliberate on the matter for the second time.
At the resumption of their sitting today, the leader of the House in his submission acknowledged the reactions from the public which he said they are here to represent stressing that; “the law is made for people and there’s nothing cast on stone.
Condemning the public outcry that followed the introduction of the Bill, he said; “There are processes and procedures before Bills become law and this is important for those that aren’t informed to be properly guided because, if you don’t have the proper information, you will always make wrong conclusions.
“I don’t say what i don’t know and i will advice people, before they say anything, they should check their facts so that we don’t misdirect people.”
speaking on the origin of the law, Hon. Ezugwu maintained that: “The gubernatorial pension law in question, isn’t a child of this 7th Assembly. It was first enacted in 2007.
He also said that the Bill wasn’t introduced with bad fate as they believe in the principle of democracy and that has always guided their actions.
“This is Democracy, government of the people, by the people and for the people. If it weren’t so, on that day we sat, we would have done the first reading, second reading, third reading and pass the bill into law but because this is a democracy, we must follow the procedures that is followed before a bill becomes law.
Moving the motion for the Bill to be stepped down, the Leader said; “If it’s the wish of the House Mr Speaker, may i move a motion that to enable our Honourable colleagues do a critical analysis of the said bill, may i move a motion that we step it down if the Speaker and distinguished honourable colleagues so wish.”
Reacting to the motion of the Leader of the House, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Edward Ubosi said this isn’t the first time the House is stepping down a bill but that was done after the people rejected it at the Public hearing.
He said that the action of the person that sponsored the Bill will enable members take “critical look at the Bill”.
Stressing that the Assembly isn’t s rubber stamp Assembly, the speaker urged the members to look at it critically like he’s just doing.
“Going through the Bill, there are things that should be there that aren’t included.”If you are a Governor and at the end of your tenure, you become a Senator, you’re not supposed to be earning this pension and that should be added.
“The other thing i saw was benefit to the spouse of the governor and his deputy, that’s unconstitutional and they’re not even supposed to benefit from the pension. We have a lot to remove and add to this bill,” the Speaker said.
He urged the members of the House to take their time and look at the bill critically so that “the next time we are coming up with it, we will look at it critically and consider the interest of the masses, know when people are making constructive argument and when they are doing politics. When the bill gets to the level of public hearing, we can invite anyone that has anything to come and say same.
“The motion for the Bill to be stepped down was seconded by Rt. Hon. Mary Onyinye Ugwu, the Deputy leader of the house and when the question “that this honourable House do step this bill down for the honourable House to look into it critically and come up with a final solution” was asked, there was no objection.
The House adjourned to Tuesday, 23rd of March, 2021.
