The Benue State House of Assembly in Nigeria has officially repealed a controversial law that provided maintenance for former elected governors and their deputies.
This law, initially passed and signed by former Governor Samuel Ortom in May 2023, faced significant public backlash and was seen as financially imprudent given the state’s limited resources.
The repeal bill was introduced by Douglas Akya, the Chairman of the House Standing Committee on Appointments, Public Service, and Pension Matters, who represents Makurdi South Constituency. Akya emphasized that the original law was not in the state’s best interest, particularly given Benue’s financial constraints.
Supporting the repeal, lawmakers Samuel Agada of Ogbadibo Constituency and Alfred Emberga of Makurdi North Constituency argued that the state’s meager resources should be directed towards addressing its significant infrastructure needs and debt burden rather than on luxurious pensions for former officials.
The bill faced public opposition since its enactment by the Ortom administration, especially from the then-opposition party, which now holds the governorship. Many citizens and political figures called on Governor Hyacinth Alia to repeal the law after assuming office, though the legislative process took a year to achieve this repeal.
In the same plenary session on Monday, the Assembly also passed a bill to prohibit the harassment and extortion of money from investors, developers, and businessmen, commonly known as ‘marching ground.’ Elias Audu, Chairman of the House Standing Committee on Lands, Survey, and Solid Minerals, led the debate on this bill, highlighting its importance in curbing the activities of miscreants who extort money from land developers and residents.
This legislative action reflects a broader commitment by the Benue State Assembly to address fiscal prudence and protect economic activities from illegal extortion practices.
