MONROVIA –The Plenary of the Liberian Senate has passed into law a bill seeking to adopt an integrated pension and benefits scheme with three modifications for certain categories of officials of the Government of the Republic of Liberia.
By: Henry Karmo [email protected]
The bill seeks to repeal or amend certain portions of Title 19, Legislative Act, Title 12, Executive Law of Liberia, and Title 17, the Judiciary Law (1972), as amended in 2003.
According to the Senate, under the modifications, the current line in the National Budget for ‘Benefit and Served Officials’ should be carried from year to year pending enrollment of the beneficiaries who have served prior to the effective date of this Act into the NASSCORP Program or any other beneficial program.
At the same time, all benefits for President, Vice President, Speaker, Chief Justice, President Pro-Tempore and Deputy Speaker will be a certain per cent as indicated of basic salary instead it being applied on sum total of salaries and benefits.
The last modification indicates that if any of the officials retires and subsequently receives a “gainful employment” and then retires finally, his Pension would be the highest of the two instead of being asked to make a choice.
The law provides annuities to the President and Vice President, Speaker, Deputy Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives, Pro-Temp and Members of the Liberian Senate, Chief Justice and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of Liberia, as well as Judges of the Circuit and Specialized Courts, who honorably retire to private life and someone who is not in any way gainfully employed by the government.
The retired Speaker of the House of Representatives who honorably retires to private life shall receive 50 per cent of his last salary per annual, which will be paid in equal monthly instalments, as well as be entitled to police or other state security protection and other services around the clock.
In the same vein, the retired Deputy Speaker shall receive 50 per cent of his last salary per annual, paid in equal monthly instalments, as well as be entitled to a personal staff and facilities for the remainder of his/her natural life.
Under the provision of the law, members of the House of Representatives who honorably retires, shall receive 50 per cent of their last salaries per annum, paid in equal monthly instalments, but shall not be entitled to personal staff and other benefits.
In the Senate passed version, the President Pro-Tempore of the Senate, who honorably retired to private life, shall receive 50 per cent of his last salary per annum, paid in equal instalments, as well as be assigned with police, personal staff and other benefits and services for the rest of his/her life.
In similar fashion, members of the Liberian Senate who retired to private life, shall receive 50 per cent of his/her last salary per annum, paid in equal monthly instalments, as well as be entitled to personal staff, police and other services around the clock.
Also, the President and Vice President of the Republic of Liberia, who retired to private life, shall receive 50 per cent of his/her last salary per annum, paid in equal monthly instalments, as well as be entitled to police, personal staff and other services around the clock.
At the same time, retired Chief Justice, Associate Chief Justices of the Supreme Court of Liberia, and Judges of the Circuit and Specialized Courts, shall receive 50% of his/her last salary, per annum, but only the Chief Justice shall be entitled to police, personal staff and other services around the clock. The proposed instrument has been sent the House of Representatives for concurrence.