MR. SPEAKER WHY DO YOU WANT LIFE PENSION FOR YOURSELF AND CRONIES, IS IT NOT FRAUDULENT? By Evans Tubonah

Kombowei Benson Speaker BYHA

Mr. Speaker Sir, it was not at all our intention, not the intention of this medium, The Golden Pen  Newspaper to peep into the kitchen or even parlor of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly to either discuss or ask questions about how the Honorable  Kombowei  Benson led  Legislature had set  tables, chairs and so on to run its affairs..
But today, as a matter of public interest it has become so important to our medium to call the attention of Mr. Speaker or the attention of the Assembly to a burning issue, which needs clarification without any further delay.
 Mr. Speaker,
It concerns the news making the rounds that the Bayelsa State House of Assembly Members have approved for themselves and former Speakers, former Deputy Speakers, former Legislators of Bayelsa including those who served in Rivers State before Bayelsa was created to pay to yourself and the aforementioned what is called pension for out going and out gone lawmakers. That you have already passed a bill called; "BAYELSA ASSEMBLY MEMBERS LIFE PENSION LAW" If this is not how you call it, you may give the correct way it is capped. Mr. Speaker, a careful look at the information on the Editor's table, clearly stated that your monthly take away, as pension payments as you leave the sacred floors to your home town or wherever you like to be, is going to be a whooping five hundred thousand Naira  [N500,000] a month times 12= N6,000, 000  while the deputy speaker is to collect two hundred thousand Naira [N200,000] times 12 months = N2,400,000 then the other twenty two members will receive as life pension benefit one hundred thousand Naira [100,000] each  = N2,200,000 a month times 12  months is too much. Put these together and you see the whooping amount of money the  Honarable Members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly elected to represent our 24 Constituencies to make people oriented laws for good governance have in the eyes of the public connived to enrich yourselves in such a doubtful manner. Mr. Speaker, the controversial money making law, intended to swell the accounts of the Speaker, the deputy speaker and the rest of the Assembly members, according your law also include former Legislators of the State, including those who served in old Rivers State, so how much are we talking about a month, how much in 12 months and how much in ten years?
Mr. Speaker, you know, you don't need to be told that you are the Speaker of the Assembly, the number one man, you are also the number three man in the state, and you are well to do according to public knowledge and public perception, but if one would ask, what do you and your honorable members want to gain from the controversial law what is your answer, does it not look selfish and or fraudulent to you Mr. Speaker?