Former legislators in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly are demanding their inclusion in the pension scheme just like past governors and deputy governors in the state.

Robert Enogha, the Acting Chairman, Forum of Bayelsa Ex-legislators, made the demand in Yenagoa during a special session to mark the end of the second session of the sixth Assembly of the State.

Enogha said that it was wrong to treat the former lawmakers as “casual workers” after their service to the state, irrespective of the fact that they were the ones who enacted laws for former governors to enjoy pension benefits.

“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.”

Enogha explained that the inclusion of former lawmakers in the pension scheme would help them pursue other meaningful ventures after they must have left office.

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.

However, notable former state legislators in the state who are no longer in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), did not attend the event. They include, Timipre Sylva who was a member in the old Rivers House of Assembly, and Heineken Lokpobiri, Pioneer Speaker of the Bayelsa House of Assembly.

One of the high points of the event was the defection of Gibson Monaleyefa, member representing Ogbia Constituency 2, from the Labour Party to the PDP.