Labour dubs Life pension for governor, deputy, lawmakers in Bayelsa as height of impunity

YENEGOA, Bayelsa, Nigeria – The Trade Union Congress(TUC) has condemned proposal by the Bayelsa State House of Assembly to enact a new bill that would place both the Bayelsa State Governor, and his deputy and house of assembly members on pension for life.

The new bill will repeal exiting pension law for the governor, his deputy and house of assembly members. In a statement by President and Secretary, TUC, Comrades Bobboi Kaigama and Musa-Lawal Ozidi, TUC said it read with indignation and outright betrayal the move by the Bayelsa State House of Assembly to place the state governor, deputy governor and the House of Assembly members on life pension.

“This new bill would repeal the existing pensions for governor and deputy governor law of 2003 if passed. The TUC sees this development as an insult and a deliberate attempt to widen the scope of fraudent activities by politicians in the state”, it stated, adding that such obnoxious and self-centered bill started with some states years ago and unfortunately the number is increasing.

“This is peak of irresponsibility that cannot be allowed to persist whether the bill is given expedited passage on the floor of the House or not”, the TUC said.  

It explained that last week, it was reported that Nigeria is owing almost N24 trillion. “Also, if we go by the statement of the Federal Government recently they may still borrow more. It is ridiculous to borrow for recurrent expenditure.

“Who has bewitched our politicians that they hardly get anything right? How could they come up with such at a time the retirees who have served the country for 35 years are dying at verification centres?

“Many of them cannot even afford drugs to take care of their age related sicknesses. Yet politicians who served for just four years are placing themselves on life pension. It is obvious there is no milk of kindness left in these people.

“We are calling on the Bayelsa state legislature and states nursing such idea to drop it as we shall not leave any stone unturned in our fight for good governance and accountability, forthwith. It is disgraceful that our country has become a laughing stock in the international community because of things like this. We must change the narrative”, TUC said.