Delegates at the National Conference Committee on Wednesday unanimously
adopted the recommendation of the Confab Committee on Public Service that
legislators at the National Assembly and state levels should function on
part-time basis to reduce cost of governance in the country.
The committee chaired by a former Head of Civil Service of the
Federation, Mrs. Ebele Okeke, had also called for the review of the salaries of
the legislators towards ensuring that their allowances “should be comparable
with what obtains in other arms of the public service.”
But when the issue was put to vote, delegates adopted the recommendation
for part-time legislature in the National Assembly and state Houses of
Assembly.
However, the recommendation of the committee for upward review of
retirement age to 65 years of age or 40 years of service from the present
practice of 60 years of age or 35 years of service, elicited uproar among the
delegates on Wednesday in Abuja.
Okeke had, while opening the debate on the committee’s report before
adjournment the previous day, said that it was the recommendation of the
committee that payment of pension, life insurance and severance for
legislators, where they exist, should be cancelled in line with global best
practices.
But a delegate representing the youth at the conference, Mr. Charles
Linvinus Ibiang, rejected the recommendation for upward review of the
retirement age of the civil servants, on the premise that the older ones should
give way to the younger ones to also make contribution to national development.
The Okeke-led committee had also recommended that ministers,
commissioners and local government chairmen should discontinue appointment of
‘Special Advisers’ and Special Assistants’ as a cost-saving measure to reduce
cost of governance.
The committee argued that these categories of political office holders should
utilize the staff of their ministries where it becomes necessary as contained
in Circular Ref. No.B63833/73 of January 3, 2000.
It said, “While it is appreciated that the nature of presidential system
of government necessitates the appointment of ‘Special Advisers’ and Special
Assistants’ to the President, the Vice President, the Governor and the Deputy
Governor, its extension to ministers, commissioners and local government
chairmen should be discontinued as a cost-saving measure.”
In order to make for good governance, the Committee on Public Service
had also recommended that September as the deadline for the presentation of
Appropriation Bill by the Executive to the National Assembly should be
enshrined in the constitution.