- Limits Casual Employment To 2 Years
By Amos Aar
THE BENUE State House of Assembly on Monday repealed the law which made provisions for lifetime pension and maintenance of former elected governors and deputy governors of the state.
The Assembly took the decision during a plenary presided by the Speaker, Hon. Hyacinth Aondona Dajoh.
National Record recalls that the 9th Benue State House of Assembly had in May 2023, few days to its exit, passed the controversial pension bill to extend life pension as well as other pecks to ex-elected governors and their deputies from 1999.
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Presenting the report on the floor of the house, chairman of the House Standing Committee on Appointments, Public Service and Pension Matters, Hon. Douglas Akya (Makurdi South state constituency) said the finances of the state could not guarantee implementation of the law.
He said the bill is not in the best interest of the state and recommended that the law be repealed.
Hon. Akya expressed appreciation to the House for giving the committee the opportunity to serve in that capacity.
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Contributing, Hon. Samuel Agada (Ogbadibo state constituency), expressed happiness over the findings of the committee saying the law was anti-people and needed to be repealed.
On his part, Hon. Cephas Ashwa (Konshisha state constituency) said the law was insensitive as it was unnecessary for the state government to be buying cars and building houses for people who were no longer serving the state, adding that the repeal was coming at the right time.
Member representing Makurdi North state constituency, Hon. Berger Alfred, and that of Tiev state constituency, Hon. Matthew Damkor, both described the law as anti-masses and faulted the last Assembly for passing the law.
Hon. Damkor particularly said what the state needed now is the employment of the teeming unemployed youths, and not to spend on matters that are not in the best interest of the state.
Also, during plenary today, the House passed into law a bill to regulate the engagement of casual workers in the Benue State Public Service and purposes connected there with.
The new law forbids employers from retaining casual workers for more than two years.
Lending their voices on the report, members expressed displeasure that some people were working as casual staff in agencies of government for years without been absorbed into the state civil service.
The House noted that if assented to by the governor, the bill would help the teeming youths have value in any Ministry, Department and Agency they are working as casual staff and create more employment opportunities for the youth in the state.
According to the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Mr Terver Zamber, a bill to prohibit harassment and extortion of money from investors, developers and businessmen in Benue State (popularly called ‘Marching Ground’) and a bill to provide for the retirement age and enhanced remuneration of magistrates and legal officers in the Benue State Ministry of Justice were also passed during Monday’s plenary.
