From Jude Chinedu, Enugu
The Enugu State House of Assembly has stepped down the proposed Gubernatorial Life Pension Bill as protests rocked Enugu on Tuesday.
The Leader of the House, Chief Ikechukwu Ezugwu, who moved a motion for the bill to be stepped down sighted public outcry against the bill as the reason for his action.
A group of protesters led by the Executive Director, South Saharan Social Development Organisation, Dr Stanley Ilechukwu, had flooded the Assembly complex demanding that the bill be discarded in its entirety.
Ilechukwu described the bill as ‘a needlessly exorbitant gift for already well compensated service to government,’ pointing out that the state needed to channel its resources towards provision of potable water and other amenities lacking in the state.
Chief Ezugwu, meanwhile, said that it was not out of place to step down the controversial bill, saying members of the House need to listen to their constituents.
The motion was seconded by Onyinye Ugwu, the Deputy Leader of the House.
In his speech, the Speaker said there are a lot of provisions in the bill that are unconstitutional. He pointed out the provision for payment of salaries to spouses of former governors and their deputies as being out of place.