By Ikechukwu Odu

The Nsukka Journalists Foundation, NJF, has urged the Enugu State House of Assembly to repeal obnoxious Enugu State Gubernatorial Pensions Law 2007 within 90 days or face court actions.

The leader of the House, Ikechukwu Ezugwu, had brought a bill, seeking further amendment of the law to allegedly cater for life pension of ex-governors, their deputies and wives, but following public outcry,  it was stepped down.

Following the development, the Foundation, in a 15-point communique signed by the chairman, Chijioke Amu-Nnadi, and the secretary, Brendan Eze, and other seven committee members, equally urged the ex-governors to return every benefit they may have received from the law to the state’s treasury.

The Foundation in the communique which was issued after its emergency meeting on Wednesday, equally regretted that a state under heavy financial burden as Enugu State would appear to be supporting further amendment of  such obnoxious law when it has failed to carry out basic obligations to her civil servants, pensioners and the citizens at large.

Part of the communique read in parts “We have been dismayed by media reports of a bill to further amend the Enugu State Gubernatorial Pensions Law 2007, first amended in 2017, which  passed its first reading at the Enugu State House of Assembly on March 11, 2021; and, as a consequence of the uproar which followed it, the House stepped it down on March 16.

“We note also a statement signed by the leader of the House, Hon. Ikechukwu Ezeugwu, in which he attempted to justify the House’s action by quoting Section 124 (5) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This section  provides that a state House of Assembly MAY make a law for the grant of a pension or a gratuity to a person who had held office as governor or deputy governor, which shall be a charge upon the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the state.

“Indeed, we are dismayed and wish to express our disappointment in the leadership and membership of the State House of Assembly as well as known and unknown supporters, sponsors and defenders of this bill for not deeming it fit, considering the difficulties faced by civil servants and pensioners in Enugu State, to REPEAL the 2007 Law.

” Instead, what the Nsukka Journalists Foundation has learnt is that the State House of Assembly has deemed it necessary, and more important than the welfare of its citizens, to consider an upward review of the illegal provisions in this bill.

“We wish to, therefore, urge the Enugu State House of Assembly to quickly repeal the obnoxious law [Enugu State Gubernatorial Pensions Law 2007, as amended in 2017].

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“If this is not done within the next 90 days, the Nsukka Journalists Foundation, whose motto is “Conscience of the People”, shall not hesitate to approach a court of competent jurisdiction, as well as the court of moral conscience and public opinion, to decide on the matter.

“We wish to enjoin the Enugu State government led by Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to be conscious of the state of the state’s finances, infrastructure gaps and deficits, and lack of basic amenities like water and electricity, and thus prevail on the House of Assembly to do what is right before man, before the people on whose votes their legitimacy is founded, and before God, whose name and grace Enugu State seemingly defers to.

“We are painfully aware of the need to provide water, better health facilities and services, job opportunities for the teeming youth, better educational facilities, better teaching tools and personnel, among so many urgent needs of the state and her people. We believe that scarce resources ought to be better deployed towards improving these physical, material and social infrastructures. We are also aware that, were this bill ever passed, the medical allowances so provided would only encourage medical tourism and a movement of scarce funds of Enugu State to other places such as Lagos, Abuja and Dubai, considering the poverty of current health facilities and services.”