By Tabora Bojang
The National Assembly has passed amendments in the salaries and pensions Act that provides payment of gratuity to NAMs who resigned or are recalled by electorates. It also caters for the next of kin of a NAM who dies before the end of his or her term, and the person completing the residual term of a NAM who dies, resigns, or is recalled by the electorate.
Having gone through the consideration stage without amendment, the bill was read for the third time and passed yesterday following its introduction for third reading by Upper Nuimi NAM Omar Darboe.
The bill, which has become a subject of broad public debate, is expected to be assented to by the president.
Under the new amendment, where a NAM dies during his or her 5-year term of office and had completed at least 1 year of that term, his or her next of kin shall be paid a gratuity of 25 percent of the aggregate emoluments the deceased NAM had received during his or her membership of the Assembly. Also, where a NAM resigns or is recalled by the electorate and has completed at least 1 year of his or her 5 year term of office, that NAM shall be paid a gratuity of 25 percent of the aggregate emoluments he or she had received during his or her membership of the Assembly.
The amendment also provides for the payment of gratuity to a person completing the residual term of a NAM who dies, resigns or is recalled by the electorate.
Nominated Member Kebba Lang Fofana who tabled the bill said it will greatly improve the comfort and convenience of National Assembly Members. Critics said NAMs are abusing their privilege position of being the budget approvers to butter their own bread anyhow.
