Governors, D’Governors, House members to receive pension in Bayelsa state

Present and past Governors, Deputy Governors and House of Assembly members of Bayelsa state will be eligible for pension after serving the state.

This follows the passage of the 2019 Pension Bill by Bayelsa State lawmakers on Wednesday. 

Under the arrangement, the lawmakers like the governor’s and deputy would become pensioners after serving the state.

Opening debate on the bill, the leader of the house, Hon Peter Akpe, argued that the bill, when assented to, will provide reasonable financial security for the beneficiaries, thus, shielding them from the vagaries of the economic uncertainties.

According to him, those qualified to benefit from the bill must be indigenes of the state who have served in the state as well as in the old Rivers State for a minimum period of two years.

Also speaking in favour of the bill Hon Tonye Isenah representing Kolokuma-Opokuma constituency I, believes that the bill which guarantees some measures of financial security help curb the tendency of such public servants from engaging in sharp practices.

He expressed happiness that the law covers both past and present members of the state House of Assembly thereby providing financial succour for them after serving the state meritoriously.

Hon Daniel Igali representing Southern Ijaw constituency III dismissed any possible negative insinuations that the bill might be described as self-serving for the lawmakers, adding that the responsibility of lawmaking is a critical and cumbersome function of government which demands that they should be well cared for.