Featured
Dickson Turns Down Life Pension Request for Lawmakers, Says It’s Illegal
Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has declined assent to the bill seeking life pension for former lawmakers from the state as proposed and passed by the state House of Assembly last week.
The controversial bill has attracted condemnation from Bayelsans, including civil society groups who were planning a showdown with the lawmakers.
The state Commissioner for Information, Mr Daniel Iworiso-Markson, who said this on Monday, added that the governor had conveyed his decision to decline assent to the bill in a letter to the Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly on Monday.
He said the governor held consultations with the Assembly members in Toru-Orua, where he explained his reason for rejecting the bill to the lawmakers.
Iworiso-Markson quoted the governor as having said that the bill was inconsistent with Section 124 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
Dickson said he was of the view that the state Assembly lacked the powers to expand the categories of public servants who should be entitled to pension.
He stressed that he had to withhold assent to the bill because the state, which was bedevilled with a lot of challenges in spite of its low Internally Generated Revenue base and unstable earnings from the oil economy, was the only state in Nigeria to come up with such a bill.
The governor stressed that he was guided in the decision by the principle that government should not be for a select privileged few in the society.
He said the lawmakers and indeed the Nigerian populace would attest to the fact that all the decisions of his administration were guided by the urge “to protect public interest and promote the general good.”
Dickson said, “The provisions of this bill granting pension to members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly and the extension of same to former members of the Assembly and Bayelsa indigenes who served in the old Rivers State House of Assembly, is inconsistent with Section 124 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
“I am not convinced about the legality of this bill which seeks to expand the categories of persons entitled to pension. While I agree that the Assembly can adjust the quantum of pension payable to persons entitled to pension, I am not convinced that the House has powers to add to the categories of pensionable public officers.
“Evidently, there is no record of any other state in this country that has expanded the categories of pensionable public officers to include lawmakers. I do not agree that Bayelsa, which is coping with all the myriads of issues and challenges, with our low Internally Generated Revenue base and the unpredictable oil economy, should be the first to initiate this.
“Honourable members of this Assembly, Bayelsans and other Nigerians following our progress as a government would clearly attest to the fact that my entire public service, actions and decisions are marked by what is in the public interest, particularly the interest of the vulnerable, ordinary people. It is in the service of this category of people that in the last seven years, I have, in an unprecedented manner, which only history will record and reward, extended the frontiers of the benefits of purposeful democratic governance.
“It is my philosophy that government should not be for a select few. In the last seven years, my actions and decisions, which have sometimes elicited opposition from the elite who have been feeding fat on the resources of our state, have been marked by this singular disposition of mine.
“And I do not intend at this point to abandon that. Rather, I intend to do more to consolidate on the policies and actions which have been taken to protect the vulnerable. Therefore, I am unable to assent to this bill which in my view aims to expand and consolidate the class interest of a privileged few.”
The governor said the quest to protect the vulnerable against the privileged few inspired the populist programmes of his administration.
These, he said, included the Bayelsa Health Insurance Scheme with over 150, 000 beneficiaries, the Education Trust Fund, local and foreign scholarship programmes, empowerment schemes, support for the aged, the most vulnerable, employment, public housing and a number of other social intervention programmes.
He commended the leadership of the House for the healthy relationship with the executive and the high level of productivity as shown by the high number of bills and motions passed during the period.
Dickson said notwithstanding his decision to decline assent to the bill, he still “holds the Assembly in very high esteem.”
The governor also noted that he had to set up a committee on the contributory pension scheme to make it workable so that interested assembly members and other appointees at the state and local government levels could take advantage of it.
The Punch
Fast-growing Lagos-based Entertainment and hospitality hub, Avalanche has announced the birth of its educational arm, The Avalanche Creative Academy.
The academy is designed as a top-notch platform dedicated to nurturing creativity and innovation among aspiring creatives.
The Academy aims to provide comprehensive training through various programs, workshops, and mentorship opportunities, all designed to inspire and equip students with the skills they need to thrive in the creative industry.
It offers the following courses: Music Production, Sound Engineering, Photography, cinematography, 3D,graphic designs, motion graphics, Business Management, Creative copywriting, and Creative Strategies.
The Academy’s first set of intakes is scheduled to resume on the 17th of February 2025, while application opens from 13th of January 2025, on a 12-week basic course.
“Together, we can create invaluable experiences for our students and contribute to the creative community.
Follow the link below to register
The Christmas/End of Year party of the Igbobi College Old Boys Association (ICOBA) was filled with excitement, pomp and pageantry as the 84-86 set celebrated its 40th anniversary of leaving the school.
The highlight of the event was the donation of N20 million from the set’s endowment to serve as a seed fund for the national body’s endowment through the National ICOBA. The donation was received by Mr Femi Banwo, President ICOBA International and Mr Kunle Elebute, Chairman ICOBA National Endowment Committee
The 84-86 set’s Board of Trustees Endowment Committee had established an independent endowment in 2009 with a vision to create a lasting legacy for the set. Speaking at the occasion, the Chairman of the ICOBA 84-86 Board of Trustees and Endowment Committee, Dr. Falil Ayo Abina, expressed his delight, stating that it was a dream come true.
Dr. Abina explained that one of the core lessons learned at Igbobi College was “self-denial.”
He reminisced about the Self-Denial Fund (SDF), where students were taught to contribute their weekly “widow’s mite” to share with the less privileged in society. Dr. Abina emphasized that when the endowment committee conceived the idea of the endowment 15 years ago, they had this legacy in mind, aiming to serve a purpose greater than self.
The donation of N20 million to the national endowment is expected to inspire others within the alumni and other school alumni associations to follow suit.
This generous donation is the first in ICOBA’s history and arguably in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa.
The 13-member endowment committee, also include Demola Ipaye, Fola Laguda, Gbenga Aina, Demola Oladeinde, Jimi Onanuga, Abayomi Alabi, Kwami Adadevoh, Bayo Ayoade, Tunde Sadare, Wole Ogunbajo, Tunji Akinwummi, and Lanre Olusola, worked tirelessly to make this vision a reality and it was indeed mission accomplished for the ‘Nobles Nigerians ‘ as Igbobians are called.
The recent US presidential election should be praised for its credibility and peaceful conduct. The election serves as a model for Nigeria, highlighting the importance of free, fair and transparent polls, according to the publisher of online platform, Bluefames Media, Mr. Victor Udoh
The US election saw Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, emerge victorious over Democrat, vice president Kamala Harris. Trump secured 270 electoral votes, surpassing Harris’s votes.
While congratulating Trump on his victory, Udoh noted that the election’s smooth process, devoid of issues like ballot box snatching, violence and technical glitches.
In contrast, Nigeria’s electoral process often faces challenges, including delays, vote-buying and disputes over results, he lamented. Udoh emphasized the need for Nigeria to learn from the US example, ensuring credible elections that reflect the will of the people.
He said: “Nigerians and the international community monitored the outcomes of the US election. You could see that the US electoral process demonstrates the value of credible and peaceful elections, which experience Nigeria can draw lessons from to improve its own electoral system.
“By embracing transparency, accountability and peaceful conduct, Nigeria can strengthen its democracy and ensure governance that truly represents the people’s will.”
Udoh, a publicist and motivator, pointed out that learning from the US experience, Nigeria can address its electoral weaknesses and foster a more robust democracy, which in turn, can lead to better governance, economic growth and improved living standards for Nigerians.
“Nigeria must prioritize electoral reform and transparency to ensure that its citizens’ voices are heard and valued,” he stressed.
He, however, warned that “a second Trump term may have significant implications for global issues like dollar value, immigration, energy and geopolitical stability.”
Victor Udoh is the publisher of online platform, Bluefames Media
