Amaechi Signs 2 Bills Into Law

Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has signed into law two bills passed by the State House of Assembly.

The bills assented to by Governor Amaechi, Thursday, were the Rivers State Contributory Pension Scheme for Employees in the Public Service (Amendment) Law, No 1 of 2012 and the Rivers State Local Government Law, No 2 of 2012.

Governor Amaechi at the ceremony thanked the leadership and members of the state House of Assembly for passing the bills and promised to judiciously use the resources of the state for the development of the state and the advancement of Rivers people.

“Let me once again thank the leadership and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for the speed with which you passed the law on the Rivers State Contributory Pension Scheme for employees in the public service. We needed the contributory pensions law to be able to access the bond. Now that you have passed this law, we will be going for the N250 billion bond which we promise to pay before we leave office,” Amaechi said.

He assured that the state government will be frugal in spending the state funds.

“We will not misuse the public funds and we will try by all possible means to pay back our debts before we leave office.

“As you approve the budget, we will spend within the budget, not outside the budget which means the revenue accruing to our budget is what we will use to pay back the bond. …we are not financially irresponsible and we will deliver on our promises,” he said.

The Rivers State Local Government Law, No 2 of 2012 provides for the establishment, structure, positions, finance and functions of local government councils in the state and incidental matters while the Rivers State Contributory Pension Scheme for employees in the State Public Service (Amendment) Law, No 1 of 2012 spells out a minimum of 7.5 percent contribution from monthly emoluments by employees in the state public service towards the contributory pension scheme, subject to the approval of the board established under section 16 of this Law.

Governor Amaechi said his government would embark on new projects that are very essential to the development of the state and the city.

He assured the legislators that Ada George road, a key artery road in Port Harcourt, would be completed before the next rainy season.

—Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt