The Lagos State House of Assembly is set to stop the controversial pension for former governors of the state and their deputies.
The bill to this effect was read for a second time on the floor at plenary on Monday, it 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.
The new 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” was extensively debated on the floor of the House at a sitting presided over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa.
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.
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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in such a way that it would not throw former political officers to security challenges since if the original law is repealed, it would mean withdrawing all security agents and domestic staff earlier attached to them.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.
“I do not think we should trash it in totality,” Obasa submitted before committing the bill to the House Committee on Establishment with a two-week mandate for a report to be submitted.
