George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
Imo State House of Assembly has repealed the 2007 pension act which effectively stripped ex- governors , their deputies and ex- speakers of their pensions and privileges.
The executive bill is entitled, “A bill for a law to repeal the Imo State governors and Speakers Pension and privileges law No 5 of 2007 (as amended)”.
Leading the debate at the plenary, the chief sponsor Uchegbu Ogbuagu, APC ( Ikeduru ) state consitutency and majority leader, noted that if the bill is signed into law ut will be strip of all pensions and privileges of ex- governors, deputies, ex- speakers and speakers who had served the state.
He argued that the law on its establishment had no constitutional backing, pointing that to continue with the same law will constitute a huge drain on the finances of the state.
Ogbuagu said the law has made it mandatory that every three years, all the past governors’ would have their vehicles renewed at the detriment of the state.
Several of the lawmakers who spoke on the bill agreed with the sponsor that it had become imperative to do away with pensions of ex-governors , speakers to free funds for other developmental projects for the benefits of the people of the state.
The legislators commended Governor Hope Uzodimma for his love for the state by agreeing to strip himself of all his entitlements and those of others.
The speaker Chiji Collins who presided at the plenary said that even though that they are first victims of the law , however, said that they were going to make whatever sacrifice that was required for the progress of the state.
However, after debate and with the committment of the Committee of the whole House, the bill was promptly passed into law and now awaits the consent of the governor.
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