Scratch my back and I will scratch yours
Now this is the kind of legislative bill that you can expect to get fast-tracked in Nigeria

Outrage as Dickson signs bill for Bayelsa lawmakers’ life pension

29 April 2019



A crisis is brewing in Bayelsa State over a bill passed by the House of Assembly approving life pension for all past and current members of the legislature.
It was learnt that stakeholders in the state, including civil society organisations and political parties are preparing to protest.

The House of Assembly had triggered anger last Wednesday when it hurriedly passed the bill sponsored by the Leader of the House, Peter Akpe.

The bill approved N500, 000 post-service monthly pension to a speaker of the assembly, while a deputy speaker will receive N200, 000 and a member N100, 000 .

The swift passage of the bill by the lawmakers without conducting any public hearing angered most indigenes, who accused Governor Seriake Dickson of being the person behind the bill.

They perceive Akpe as a very close ally to the governor, having been a leader of the House. As such, Akpe is said to have sponsored most of the executive bills in the House.

A source at the Government House said the governor may assent to the bill very soon, not minding the protest from the people of the state.

According to the source, Governor Dickson may have been the one who sponsored the bill to assuage the bitter feelings of some party members, including the current Speaker, Benson Konbewie, and Peter Akpe, who lost out in the last election.

While the speaker lost the House of Representatives seat to the All Progressives Congress (APC’s) Preye Oseke for the Southern Ijaw constituency, Akpe lost in the primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and therefore will not be coming back to the House.

The Guardian learnt that to make matter worse, the Government House has been silent over the controversy trailing the passage of the bill, making observers to believe that the governor may sign it soon.

The source said the governor and principal officers of the House had several closed-door meetings before and after the passage of the bill, fueling speculation that the bill is as good as a ‘goal’.

But civil society organisations and the opposition APC are not relenting in their bid to stop the bill with a planned massive but peaceful protest in the state capital, beginning from today.

According to the chairman of the state Civil Liberty Organization (CLO), Nengi James, the bill will not hold as it is against the collective wish of the people.

He described it as draconian, murderous and of no public interest “and so will be resisted not only through public protest but through intellectual discourse and other means possible.”

A former secretary of the CLO and coordinator of the planned protest, Morris Alagoa, said the action was necessary to tell the government that all was not well with the bill.

“You may play to the gallery and even display your ignorance in grand style. Every other Bayelsan seems to be asking why groups, institutions and individuals are silent about the recently/secretly passed lawmakers’ pension bill by the Bayelsa State House of Assembly.

“But I tell you, those waking up three days or more after the roguish bill was passed to ask the question (above) are insincere to themselves and seem to be taking delight in playing to the gallery.

“Except some institutions and groups, I have never seen anything in recent times that has united Bayelsans like this vexing pension for lawmakers, not just on social media, but on the print and electronic media, apart from the state government-owned media outfits for obvious reasons.

“Bayelsans of different walks of life have been venting their disapproval and anger at the action of the lawmakers since the bill was passed. And the condemnation has been total. Bayelsans will march in unison on the streets and roads of Yenagoa against the obnoxious and anti-people bill.
“The electorate are the employers and that is why provision for recall is made in the electoral laws. The coalition does not want any political colouration as far as this is concerned, it is just Bayelsa people rising for Bayelsa.”

Some APC faithful are also planning their own protest on the streets of Yenagoa today.

Though details were sketchy yesterday, the organisers, who do not want their names in print, said the protest would be massive and total

One of the organisers said: “The people need to exercise their right of expression as guaranteed by the constitution and democracy. So, consultations are on.”

A chieftain of the APC, Preye Aganaba, described the bill as self-centered, insensitive, preposterous and a sad reflection of the inordinate desire of the lawmakers for self-enrichment.

Meanwhile, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent an open letter to Governor Dickson, urging him to reject the proposed life pension bill.

The group also asked the governor to use his office as the “trustee of the state’s resources and consistent with your constitutional oath of office, to prevail upon the House to immediately withdraw the self-serving bill.”

SERAP, in a statement by its deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare said: “Public officials have a legal commitment to discharge a public duty truthfully and faithfully. Should you assent to the bill as proposed, SERAP will institute legal proceedings to challenge the legality of the legislation and ensure full compliance with constitutional provisions and Nigeria’s international anti-corruption obligations.

“The bill amounts to an incorrect and improper performance of public functions. It’s clearly an abuse of legislative functions by the lawmakers. Rather than sponsoring bills that would improve access of children in Bayelsa to quality education, the lawmakers are taking advantage of their entrusted public positions to propose a bill to collect large severance benefits.”

According to the organisation, the lawmakers are clearly the major beneficiaries under the proposed legislation. Therefore, by passing the life pension bill, SERAP said, Bayelsa State lawmakers have violated the constitutional and international prohibitions on conflicts of interest.

The letter read in part: “The people of Bayelsa would expect you, as their governor, to use your entrusted public office to act in the public interest, including by rejecting the life pension bill and prevailing upon the House of Assembly to immediately drop the bill.”

The group stressed that conflicts of interest as well as perceptions of such conflicts would undermine public confidence in the integrity and honesty of not only the Bayelsa State House of Assembly but also Dickson’s government, if urgent action was not taken to prevail upon the House to drop the bill.

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) cautioned the House of Assembly against the proposed life pension.

If passed, they argued that the new bill would repeal the existing pensions for governor and deputy governor law of 2003.

They called on the state legislature to drop the idea, vowing not to leave any stone unturned in its fight for good governance and accountability forthwith.

In a statement yesterday by its president, Bobboi Kaigama and Secretary General, Musa-Lawal Ozigi, TUC described the development as the height of impunity, insult and a deliberate attempt to widen the scope of fraudulent activities by politicians in the state.

Source: https://guardian.ng/news/outrage-as-dickson-signs-bill-for-bayelsa-lawmakers-life-pension

Bayelsa has set a wrong precedent.
By the time other states follow, everybody will be OK las las

Tinubu heralded this kind of 'authority stealing' post-99 but now Bayelsa has decided to move up a gear!

How Saraki, Tinubu, Odili, others rob their states blind through obnoxious pension laws

Kwara

...The 2010 law gives a former governor two cars and a security car, replaceable every three years. The governor is also entitled to a “well-furnished 5-bedroom duplex”, furniture allowance of 300 per cent of his salary (which totals over N6 million).

The law also gives the governor five personal staff paid for by the state, eight policemen, three SSS operatives(of which one must be a female), free medicals for the governor and the deputy.

Other entitlements are 30 per cent of salary for car maintenance, 20 per cent for utility, 10 per cent for entertainment, 10 per cent for house maintenance.

As a senator, Mr. Saraki is currently drawing a monthly salary and a quarterly allowance of at least N40 million.


Lagos
...Mr. Tinubu cornered for himself and his former leaders of the state pension for life, two houses – one in Lagos and another in Abuja (The notorious Akpabio’s law ranks better here as the house could only be either in Akwa Ibom or Abuja, not both).

The Lagos law also gives the governor six cars replaceable every three years( 3 for the governor, 1 pilot, 2 backup cars), furniture of 300% of his salary as governor to be paid every two years, a security detail same as in Kwara state, free medicals for the former governor and deputies and their immediate families.

Other benefits are 10 per cent house maintenance, 30 per cent car maintenance, 10 per cent entertainment, 20 per cent utility, and several domestic staff.

Rivers
...Like Lagos, the new law gives the former governor a house in Rivers State and anywhere in Nigeria. The former governor is also entitled to pension for life at the rate of the governor’s basic salary, 300 per cent of salary for furniture paid every four years, three cars every four years, free medical, and 10 per cent for house maintenance.

The law gives the former governor a security detail comprising two SSS operatives, four police officers, 30 per cent for car maintenance, 10 per cent entertainment, 20 per cent utility and several domestic staff.

Zamfara
...The law gives Mr. Sani and other former Zamfara governors pension for life, two personal staff, two vehicles replaceable every four years, two drivers, free medical for the former governors and deputies and their immediate families in Nigeria or abroad.

The law also gives the former governors a 4-bedroom house in Zamfara and an office, free telephone and 30 days paid vacation outside Nigeria.

Gombe
...The former governors are given pension for life, two vehicles changed in four years, two drivers, free medicals in Nigeria and abroad, a house anywhere in Gombe.

Source: https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/162059-how-saraki-tinubu-odili-others-rob-their-states-blind-through-obnoxious-pension-laws.html

The reason why this country won't move forward.
The pix below says it all.

Pdp always set bad precedent .

EastGold:
Bayelsa has set a wrong precedent.

By the time other states follow, everybody will be OK las las

Haba will the bill benefit masses?

Politicians will only use the money to marry more wives.

Wetin concern me with this:

Welcome to a country where minimum wage of 30k bill took almost 4yrs to sign but bills concerning lawmakers allowances are signed under 5months.


Una go get sense las las..

What do u expect from a greedy politician whose name starts with a "Dick"

Lol. Just laughing here. Look at our leaders thinking at this modern time where Nigeria is lagging behind in every aspects while other countries are speedily moving forward. It's well ooo!

You see them now? You see them? Arrant nonsense

This is disgraceful, no party politics here. This should be condemned by all.

too bad

Good

for being a lawmaker for 4years you get life pension,so funny buy they don't want to pay 30k for workers.

Blame the people that voted them.

bayelsa and delta , the disappointments of the ND


so much money


nothing on ground

Bayelsa needs a revolution

Why no public hearing?

Awaiting Ben Bruce's tweet, this is his home state.

Thieves.....

Hahahahahaha Niger Delta politics of Overdo

omo this Nigeria don cast las las, na to move abroad sure pass

Cost of governance is way too high and then someone wants to make ex politicians permanent state liabilities after all they stole while in office.

They should only consider contributory pension which is the standard now

Shithole country..

See them lazy thwarts with no initiative, no plans after government. While hardworking civil servants are bursting their ass and earning a Meagan 30k. God almighty will definitely punish the wicked in Jesus name

SS people are doomed.


For the past 10 years, they've been collecting the biggest allocations with absolutely nothing to show for it.

Bayelsa is a state that is not even as populated as IKORODU yet, IKORUDU is far more developed than the entire useless state.

Let the people continue to worship their corrupt politicians.

bayelsa state government is a private sector.

I made a comment a few weeks ago about the quality of political candidates Bayelsa produces and people said my comment was a bit condescending so I had to modify.

Why am I not surprised? Leaders are simply reflections of their societies.
My former colleagues from Bayelsa all lavish their salaries on Ogogoro and are broke again long before the month ends. No plans, no savings, no investments.

olujastro:

For Bayelsa, I'm always neutral in their guber elections because the state always produces majorly yeye candidates.
I can't even think of any quality leader that has ever come out of Bayelsa. So bad that Buhari had to end up with Heineken Lopobiri as Minister since each state must get a slot.