RVHA Passes Two Bills, Adjourns Pension Bill

The Rivers State House of Assembly last
week passed the State Senior Secondary Schools Board Bill and the Universal
Basic Education Amendment Bill into laws.

The smooth passage of the two bills to law,
followed debate on the report of public hearing by the House Education Committee
presented by its Chairman, Hon. Augustine Ngo.

The lawmakers also accepted the
recommendation of the Committee that the bill on school inspection and
monitoring be sent back to the sponsors for repackaging based on
inconsistencies that were noticed in the proposed law.

In another development, the state
legislators commenced debate on the state Public Office Holders Bill, otherwise
called Pensions and fringe benefits for Governors and Deputy Governors Bill.

Opening debate on the issue, Hon. Benibo
Anabraba, representing Akuku-Toru, constituency 11, thanked, the Hon. Josiah
Olu-led committee for doing a good work, but called for the removal of some
words that are ambiguous.

Hon. Anabraba opined that phrases like
immediate family should be replaced with definite words like spouse and
children, while the accommodation to be provided should be anywhere in the
country with specification.

The lawmaker equally argued for the
reduction in the number of security details and added personal secretary or
personal assistant who would be more useful to the former officers.

In his contribution, Hon. Chidi Lloyd,
representing Emohua Constituency and sponsor of the bill, said the proposed law
intends to secure the future for former leaders and to check occupants of the
office from looting public funds since the state appreciates their
contributions by providing for them.

Hon. Onari Brown, Akuku Toru, Constituency
1, noted that the law should limit the construction of the house to Rivers
State with specific standard while the number of children to benefit should be
limited to six.

Hon. Innocent Barikor, Gokana, Victoria
Nyeche, Port Harcourt constituency 1, agreed that the dimension of the House to
be built is critical since the essence of the proposal was to benefit successive
Governors and their deputies, and should be located in the state.

However, Hon Augustine Ngo, Abua/Odual does
not see anything wrong with building the house in any part of the country of
the choice of the beneficiaries as found in the committee’s report.

Meanwhile, further debate on the proposed
law has been adjourned to tomorrow, while the lawmakers appeared unanimous on
the new title of the bill, “pensions and fringe benefits for governors and
Deputy governors”.