The Enugu State House of Assembly has approved payment of life pensions to former governors and their deputies in the state.
This followed the passage of the amended gubernatorial pensions bill of 2015 and other matters connected therewith by the Assembly
The law, however, has a proviso that the governor or the deputy must not be impeached to earn such life pensions.
Before the bill was passed into law, the 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 develop the state from the old Anambra State and the old Enugu State, as well as the present politically elected governors in the new Enugu State.
Contributing, Hon Paul Nnajiofor, Nkanu East, said that the amended bill was long overdue.
“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,’’ Nnajiofor said.
Hon. Mary Ugwu, Enugu South Rural, said 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 they have something to fall back on tomorrow after office,’’ Ugwu said.
Later, the Speaker, Mr Edward Ubochi, thanked the lawmakers for doing a good job and seeing to the timely passage of the amended bill into law.
“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.
In a related development, the Leader of the House, Ezeugwu, also presented a bill seeking for the amendment of the Establishment of the Universal Basic Education Board Law 2005 and Matters Related Therewith.
Ezeugwu, explained that the bill presented for its 2nd reading, seeks to confer supervisory role of the board on the governor or the commissioner.
The speaker, after the 2nd reading, however, referred the bill to the committes on education, judiciary as well as ethics and privileges to make inputs.
Also, the amendment bill seeking to amend the Enugu State Education Law was read for the 2nd time.
The Speaker, however, referred it to the committee on education and gender affairs, stating that: “The two committees should also oragnise a public hearing on the matter and conclude their work on the bill within three weeks’’.