The Benue State House of Assembly has repealed the law that provided for the maintenance of former elected Governors and their Deputies in the state.
The decision was taken during Tuesday’s plenary session on 27th May 2024, presided over by the Speaker, Chief Hyacinth Aondona Dajoh.
Presenting the report of the House Standing Committee on Appointment, Public Service and Pension Matters, the Chairman, Hon. Douglas Akya, representing Makurdi South, stated that the state’s finances could not support the implementation of the law. He described the bill as not being in the best interest of the state and recommended its repeal.
Contributing to the debate, members including Hon. Samuel Agada (Ogbadibo), Hon. Cephas Ashwa (Konshisha), Hon. Berger Alfred (Makurdi North), and Hon. Moses Damkor (Tiev) unanimously supported the repeal. They described the law as anti-people, insensitive, and unnecessary, arguing that the state government should not be burdened with buying cars and building houses for individuals no longer in active service.
The lawmakers stressed the need to focus resources on employing the teeming unemployed youths rather than on such provisions.
In the same plenary, the House also passed several other bills into law, including:
– A bill to regulate the engagement of casual workers, prohibiting employers from retaining them for more than two years.
– A bill to prohibit harassment and extortion of money from investors, developers, and businessmen (popularly known as Marching Ground).
– A bill to provide for the retirement age and enhanced remunerations of Magistrates and Legal Officers in the State Ministry of Justice.
The developments reflect the Assembly’s commitment to prioritising the welfare of the masses and prudent management of state resources.
