A bill to amend the National Assembly Service Pension Board Act, 2023 passed second reading in the Senate on Tuesday, following a submission of a report by Senate Leader, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District.
In the lead debate, Opeyemi recalled that the proposed amendment bill was read for the first time in the Chamber on Tuesday 28th May, 2024.
He said, the proposed legislation seeks to amend the National Assembly Service Pension Board Act to enable pensioners to revert to the contributory pension scheme and for the reconstitution of membership of the Board.
If the amendment scales through, the lawmaker said, it would provide the templates for payment of gratuities and establish a fund for the scheme and for related matters.
He said: “This proposed amendment is aimed at providing a workable and pragmatic pension framework for the National Assembly staff.
“In view of the fact that the extant Act has raised critical concerns regarding its implementation, therefore, this amendment seeks to address all the inherent shortcomings of the Act by restructuring the governance structure of the Board and reintroduce the Contributing Pension Scheme, as well as payment of gratuities in line with the Federal Government Policy on Pension Administration, in the country generally.”;;
According to him, the current legal framework does not support a robust pension administration and the National Assembly pensioners, unlike their counterparts in other agencies of government, are at the receiving end.
Few Senators who spoke in favour of the report attested that it was a detailed work as it was an amendment of an existing act and called for the passage of the proposed amendment.
In his remarks, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio commended the Committee and called for a public hearing that would allow the retirees of the National Assembly to participate in their own interest.
He urged the leadership of NASS retirees to see him privately in his office before the next public hearing for a crucial discussion.
He said: “The passage of the proposed amendment bill, I think will be in the best interest of the pensioners so the billions of naira lying there can be paid out through a well structured pension administration.
“Meanwhile the leadership of the pensioners should see me privately in my office for a discussion before the public hearing where they will have the opportunity to participate to air their views in their own interest.”;;
