Senate rejects retirement benefits for presiding officers

By Inalegwu Shaibu

ABUJA—The Senate yesterday rejected moves to provide special welfare benefits for former Senate Presidents and Deputy Senate Presidents.

The move which was upon the recommendation of the Senate Ad Hoc Committee on the immortalisation of late Senators was turned down by the Senators on the ground that it will be self serving and injurious to the nation.

The Senate, however, approved other recommendations from the Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba-led Committee to immortalise late and living former Senators and the naming of Senate Hearing Rooms, and other infrastructural facilities after Senators.

The committee had recommended that the Senate do give necessary support to former presiding officers but not serving Senators within the confines of the law.

Senator Andrew Babalola (PDP) Oyo who was the first to support the recommendation said it will help to rehabilitate Senators who are living in penury after serving the nation as legislators.

He said, “We should find a way to provide necessary support for past Senators within the confines of the law. This will help them because if you see the way some of the past Senators are living, they live in so much penury that you will not want to associate yourself with them.”