The immediate past Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Gabriel Dewan, has distanced himself from a proposed bill seeking to provide pension allowances for former members of the State Assembly, stating that he neither sponsored nor consented to being listed as a co-sponsor.
The bill, which was presented on the floor of the House during Tuesday’s plenary by the member representing Rukuba/Irigwe State Constituency, Hon. Eli Ankala, listed the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Na’anlong Daniel, former Speaker Rt. Hon. Gabriel Dewan, Deputy Speaker Rt. Hon. Isa Ajiji, and House Majority Leader Hon. Joseph Gokum as co-sponsors.
However, Dewan, who was absent from the plenary when the bill was introduced, said he was surprised to see media reports identifying him as one of the co-sponsors of the bill.
In a public disclaimer, the former Speaker said, “My attention has been drawn to reports circulating on social media regarding a proposed bill seeking lifetime pension for principal officers and members of the Plateau State House of Assembly.
“For the avoidance of doubt, I wish to state unequivocally that I am neither a sponsor nor a supporter of the said bill. At no time did I initiate, endorse, or authorize any legislation aimed at granting lifetime pension to members or principal officers of the House.
“It is on record that the bill was presented on Tuesday, 7th July, by a respected colleague. To my surprise, my name was listed as a co-sponsor without my knowledge, consent, or authorization. I wish to categorically state that I neither gave my approval for my name to be included nor associated myself with the bill in any way.
“My commitment has always been to the welfare of the people of Plateau State, transparency, accountability, and the responsible management of public resources. I remain dedicated to sponsoring and supporting only those legislative initiatives that directly improve the lives and well-being of our people.
“I therefore urge the public to disregard any information linking me to this proposed bill, as it does not reflect my position or legislative priorities.”
Speaking in a telephone interview with this medium, Dewan maintained that he had never seen the synopsis of the bill and did not give his consent for his name to be included as a co-sponsor.
Meanwhile, speaking yesterday after plenary, the sponsor of the bill, Hon. Eli Ankala, said the proposed legislation is intended to provide pension allowances for all living former members of the Plateau State House of Assembly.
He explained that funding for the pension scheme would be shared between the Legislature and the Executive, noting that the Assembly’s financial autonomy would enable it to fund a substantial portion of the scheme.
“The House now enjoys financial autonomy, so a substantial part of the funding will come from the Legislature. However, the burden will not be one-sided. We hope that between 50 and 70 percent of the funding will come from the State Assembly,” he said.
According to Ankala, the legislation is long overdue, stressing that many former lawmakers who served the state are facing difficult living conditions after leaving office.
“Those of us serving now may not have such concerns, but if you meet members who served in the Fifth Assembly, and even some from the Eighth and Ninth Assemblies, you will sympathise with their situation,” he said.
He added that the bill seeks to improve the welfare of former legislators, noting that they still have families to care for and must meet everyday expenses, including transportation, electricity bills, and other essential needs after leaving office.
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