ANDONI LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY REPEALS BYE-LAW GRANTING LIFE PENSIONS PAYMENT TO PAST COUNCIL CHAIRMEN AND VICE

From now on, past Chairmen and Deputy Chairmen of Andoni Local Government Area will no longer be entitled to the payments of annual pensions and other fringe benefits for life.

This is because the authorities of the Council under the present administration of ERASTUS CHARLES AWORTU as chairman and Hon. SHEILA NTE JACOB as Leader of the Legislative Assembly have repealed the bye-law authorising the council to make such payments for life.

Brave Views gathered that the bye-law, now repealed, was passed in 2013 under the chairmanship of ORON NTE.

The bye-law stipulated that every past elected Chairman and Vice Chairman, who successfully completed their tenures shall be entitled to 80% and 50% of the annual basic salaries of the incumbent Chairman and Vice Chairman respectively.

They were also entitled to 50% and 30% monthly medical care of the incumbent in any hospital within Nigeria as well as 50% and 30% payment of accommodation money, payable in every two year period, as long as they are alive.

However, in view of the financial burden the bye-law placed on the council, the present Legislative Assembly decided to repeal it, just as the Council Chairman, ERASTUS CHARLES AWORTU on Tuesday, assented to the bye-law.

Leader of the Legislative Assembly, SHEILA JACOB NTE spoke with Journalists on the new by-law: no one of 2021.

“We don’t want the council to be saddled with the burden of paying pensions money, when the money could be used to carry out other meaningful projects.

“Emerging somebody who has has served for three years, to come back to say council should pay them all through their lives.
“We looked at it and said no, we want to repeal this bill. During their tenure in office, whatever is their entitlement should be given to them. So, that’s why we had to repeal this bill”.