Bill to exempt NASS staff from contributory pension scheme stalled

A bill seeking to exempt management staff of the National Assembly from the contributory pension scheme by amending the Pension Reform Act, 2014 to that effect has gotten stalled in the House of Representatives, as its third reading has been deferred.

As alternative to National Pension Commission (PENCOM) coordinated scheme, the proposal intends to establish the National Assembly Service Pensions Board.

Members of the House on Wednesday disagreed over the procedure followed in making the proposed amendment, report of which at the committee of Whole, chaired by Deputy Speaker Ahmed Idris-Wase, two weeks ago considered and approved the report before it was subsequently slated for third reading.

However, when its third reading motion was called for, Deputy chairman of the committee on Pensions, Hon. Bamidele Salam, raised a point of order urging the Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila to step down the third reading of the bill, saying that any attempt to exempt certain classes of…