The Save Enugu Group (SEG) have issued a 21-day ultimatum to Enugu State House of Assembly to kill a bill seeking for a law to provide life pension for former governors and deputy governors of Enugu State.
The group in a statement by its National Coordinator, Chief Willy Ezugwu, and made available to IgbereTv, said the bill which has passed first reading, must be killed immediately by the state lawmakers for the peace and tranquility in the state’s political arena to be sustained.
SEG said it is already mobilizing “conscious citizens, civil society groups and labour unions in the state to shut down Enugu State House of Assembly for as long as it will take to kill this most insensitive bill.”
According to the group, “it will be a betrayal of the trust of the people bestowed in their representatives serving as lawmakers for the state assembly to think of passing such outdated bill.
“It is shocking that while a state with high internally generated revenue (IGR) that runs into billions monthly like Lagos, has abolished pensions for former governors, the Enugu State House of Assembly is planning to deplete the meagre IGR generated in Enugu State on account of pension for political office holders.
“It is more disheartening to discover that the proposed law is an executive bill.
“More worrisome is the provision in the bill for medical allowance not exceeding #12 million per annum for one surviving spouse of a former governor or deputy provided such spouse was married to the governor while in office.
“What is more unfortunate in the bill is the provision seeking to mandate the state government to provide three vehicles for the ex governors and replace them every four years.”
The proposed bill, amongst other things, is providing for adequate arrangement and financial responsibility for the burial of former governor and their deputies. This is outside the payment of a compulsory condolence allowance of a sum equivalent to the annual basic salary of the incumbent, to his next of kin.
“This is a country where people that served their states as civil servants for over 30years are struggling to get their terminal benefits while a governor and his deputy who may have spent eight years or less will be buried at the state government expense and the next of kin paid after all.
“It is very unfortunate and we call on the Enugu State House of Assembly to kill the bill within the 21-days or face the wrath of the citizens.
In addition to other legal measures, we shall mobilize and guide all constituent in the state constituencies to immediately initiate the process of recalling their representatives at the House of Assembly in the event that the lawmakers fail to kill the bill”, the group warned.
