Nigerian legislators, especially those in the National Assembly are fast acquiring the insidious reputation of modern day Nero, fiddling while 'Rome' burns. Presently, Nigeria is no better than Emperor Nero's days when rulers of the empire threw decorum to the winds and engaged in all manner of epicurean and licentious living at the expense of their less privileged and deprived subjects. Such rancorous debauchery and depravities found expression in wild parties and vigils where tons of choice wines were consumed in the company of minors and women of easy virtues. Therefore, it did not come as any surprise that the most pressing legislative matter which recently engaged attention of the Senate was that calling for the retention of section 29 (4) of the 1999 Constitution which stipulates that "any woman who is married in Nigeria is of age".
Invariably, this invalidates the age of consent which is 18 years. What it means, is that any girl could be given away in marriage even while in the crèche. In the midst of competing bills meant to improve the country's infrastructure, create employment and raise living standards, the only one that could capture and hold senators' imagination was that dwelling on whether a little girl yet to attain puberty should be married off to a man old enough to be her grandfather. As Nigerians watched the debates and humdrum reasons adduced by those predisposed to the idea, they came away convinced that our lawmakers in the National Assembly are there to promote their hedonic pastime. If only they will expend such monumental efforts debating on bills me that will bring the country out of the present doldrums.
But such wishful thinking would only take eternity to come true, given the real reasons why many of them went into politics in the first place. Here, politics and lawmaking is about keeping their mouths permanently in the nation's financial trough and anything that would divert their attention and interest from this ignoble goal is stoutly resisted. If not, how come some weeks ago, the Senate voted that principal officers of the National Assembly (NASS) should be on pension for life? According to the new subsection (5a) Section 84 of the Constitution which was inserted, "Any person who has held the office as President or Deputy President of the Senate, Speaker or Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives shall be entitled to pension for life at a rate equivalent to the annual salary of the incumbent President or Deputy President of the Senate, Speaker or Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives".
Definitely, the National Assembly is opening a 'Pandora's box' which for a long time would not only drain the country's lean resources but also divert whatever remains to the pandering of frivolities and creature comfort of former legislators. In voting for this, the senators never let Nigerians know whether the law should be retroactive, in which case it would take care of their past leaders way back to the Second Republic. Unarguably, they have remained silent on the position of those principal officers sacked or disgraced from office. Normally, Nigerians will want to know whether those presently on pension from their states and federal government will be entitled to the proposed largesse. If so, they will be earning double income paid for by the same taxpayers.
It is this wanton ways of lawmakers that is behind calls for making the business of legislature part-time. Political analysts and commentators have consistently railed against making our legislators full time workers, given the enormous resources involved. Many have also, questioned the rationale of importing an American style government to Nigeria, especially with the rudimentary level of our economic development and the dire straits of our finances. The often held argument that, the system would help solve our chronic dysfunctional politics is neither tenable nor backed by empirical facts. Rather, the shibboleths of religious and ethnic politics have remained apparent, albeit in disguised forms.
Fact remains that Nigeria cannot afford the expensive presidential system of government with the myriad appurtenances and inherent corruption that go with it. Probably, the senators are emulating their American counterparts. Come to think of it, the United States of America is the richest country in the world and can conveniently pay the high wages that come with their system of government. If California, the largest state in the US is to be an independent country, it would be the sixth largest economy in the world, far richer than entire sub Saharan Africa. Moreover, all members of American congress pay Social Security taxes in the same amount as they would if they were employed in the private sector at the same salary.
This pension varies and depends on years of service, age at the time of retirement, and salary. Also, American senators contribute 1.3 percent of their annual salary into the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) and pay another 6.2 percent in Social Security taxes. They receive retirement annuity not exceeding 80 percent of their final salary. It is doubtful whether their Nigerian counterparts pay into pension funds and even taxes commensurate with their outlandish salaries and emoluments. Therefore, it would be the height of disservice to the voters and taxpayers, if they are allowed to be reaped off in the guise of retirement pension.
National Mirror