The Plateau State House of Assembly has passed for second reading a bill to provide pension benefits for former speakers, deputy speakers and lawmakers, drawing sharp criticism from the PDP.
The Plateau State House of Assembly has passed for second reading a bill seeking to establish pension and retirement benefits for former speakers, deputy speakers, principal officers and members of the assembly — and it’s already stirring controversy.
Sponsored by Eli Ankala (APC, Rukuba-Irigwe), the bill was debated during Tuesday’s plenary presided over by Speaker Daniel Nanlong. Leading the debate, Ankala explained that the proposed law would create the Plateau State House of Assembly Pension Board to administer pensions and keep track of beneficiaries.
He said the board’s job would be to weed out ghost pensioners, tighten accountability, and ensure pension funds are managed transparently and prudently.
“The board will strengthen pension administration through proper documentation, effective data management and regular verification of beneficiaries,” Ankala said, adding that it would provide a legal framework for accountable payment of retirement benefits.
But the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state isn’t buying it. In a statement, party spokesman Choji Felix Dalyop condemned the bill as insensitive and poorly timed, arguing it amounts to an abuse of public trust at a moment when Plateau State is battling insecurity and economic hardship.
Dalyop alleged the proposed legislation could become a backdoor for diverting public funds to benefit a select few. He warned that if signed into law, the bill risks setting a dangerous precedent — turning public office into what he called “an avenue for lifetime private enrichment rather than selfless public service.”
The bill will now proceed through further legislative stages before it can be passed into law.
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