Benue Assembly passes ‘bogus’ pension bill for ex-govs, ex-deputy govs

Following the payment of three out of six months’ salary arrears, Benue State House of Assembly on Thursday passed the executive pension bill.

The Pension Bill was initiated by the outgoing governor, Samuel Ortom seeking to place ex-governors and their deputies on bogus gratuity, pension, and other benefits.

Condemnation trailed the bill when it was sent to the state assembly by the governor.

The bill is to provide for the governor a permanent residential accommodation in any place of their choice in the country, make provisions of four new cars every four years for the former governors and two new cars every four years for former deputy governors.

It also provide for six personal staff for the former governors and three for the former deputy governors to be paid for by the state and also provides for free medical treatment for the past governors, their spouses and at least four children under 18 twice a year.

But the lawmakers who earlier suspended sitting had shunned the passage of the bill, arguing that the state government was owing them six months salary arrears and three months overhead.

Meanwhile on Thursday, the lawmakers passed the bill after receiving alerts of three out of six months salary arrears and payment of the three months arrears owed them.

Speaking to our correspondent after the passage of the bill, the minority leader of the house, Bem Ngutyo said that the bill had been passed with ‘some adjustment’.

He said, “Yes the house passed the bill just now but we reduced the contents badly; the four cars to governors was reduced to two, two to deputies reduced to one, the portion to provide accommodation to past governors at any place of their choice was expunged.

“So also is the portion of medical trips abroad twice a year was reduced to once.

When asked if the governor had cleared the six months salary arrears and three months overhead, Ngutyo said, “we have received alert of three months salary out of six” adding that the three months overhead had also been paid.

Chairman, House Committee on Information, Tertsea Gbisea also told our correspondent that the house had passed the bill but with ‘extensive changes made’.

Gbisea said, “Yes, a version of, Maintenance of Former Elected Governors of Benue State Bill was passed today, extensive changes were made on the version sent by executive.

“We had in mind the dire financial situation of the State and did the needful. The auditor general report was also adopted two days ago.”