Amidst public outcry on jumbo pay enjoyed by the political class in the current economic recession former members of the Bayelsa House of Assembly have demanded that they be included in the pension scheme being enjoyed by past governors and deputy governors in the state.

Acting Chairman, Forum of Bayelsa Ex-legislators, Chief Robert Enogha, made the request on Thursday at a special session of the state legislature to mark the end of the second session of the sixth Assembly.

The session was attended by current and former members of the Assembly, including those who were lawmakers in the old Rivers State House of Assembly.

Enogha, who is the current Chairman of the Bayelsa State Environmental Sanitation Authority, argued that it was wrong to treat the former lawmakers as ‘casual workers’ without any benefit after their service.

“Since it was the Assembly that passed the law making ex-governors and their deputies beneficiaries of pension after serving the state, it is wrong to treat the former lawmakers as ‘casual workers’ without any benefit after contributing their own quota to the development of the state.

“We, therefore, urge the Speaker and members of the House to do the needful and enact a legislation that will accommodate former lawmakers in the state pension scheme,” he said.

Enogha said their inclusion would help the former lawmakers repackage their lives and forge ahead with their daily activities without much difficulties.

The special session, which marked the end of second session of the current Assembly had as its theme, ‘Impact of the Legislature on Development, Bayelsa State in Retrospect’.

The session featured speeches from current and former members of the legislature who reflected on the theme of the session.

Chief Timipre Sylva who was a member in the old Rivers House of Assembly and Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, Pioneer Speaker, Bayelsa House of Assembly both chieftains of All Progressive Congress both shunned the session.

Among those who made contributions were the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Jonathan Obuebite; member representing Kolokuma/Opokuma 1, Hon. Tonye

Isenah (PDP); member representing Southern Ijaw111, Daniel Igali (PDP) and former member of old Rivers State House of Assembly, Chief Thompson Okorotie.

Other speakers were Political Adviser to Gov. Seriake Dickson, Mr. Fyneman Wilson; Chief of Staff, Government House, Talford Ongolo; Mr. C.J Ayabowei, Monday Bolou Obor, among others.

The speakers, in unison, acknowledged the role of the legislature in a democracy, saying the arm had particularly impacted tremendously in the development of Bayelsa.

They, however, urged the current Assembly to improve on its oversight function as well as engage their constituents more regularly to get their inputs in law making.

Highpoint of the session was the defection of the member representing Ogbia Constituency 2, Gibson Monaleyefa, from the Labour Party to the PDP

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