**The Parliamentary Pensions Act, 1980** [Margin: Short title.]

ACTS *Supplement to the Sierra Leone Gazette Vol. CXI, No. 11* *dated 28th February, 1980* SIGNED this *26th* day of *February, 1980.* SIAKA STEVENS, *President.* (LS) [Stamp: SIERRA LEONE LAW SCHOOL LIBRARY] No. 1 1980 Sierra Leone **The Parliamentary Pensions Act, 1980** [Margin: Short title.] **Being an Act to provide for the establishment of a pension scheme for Members who have served the Legislature for a certain period and to provide for all matters connected therewith or incidental thereto** [ , *1980.*] [Margin: Date of commencement.] BE IT ENACTED by the President and Members of Parliament in this present Parliament assembled, as follows:— [Margin: Commencement.] **1.** This Act shall come into force on such date as the President may, by Order published in the *Gazette*, appoint. 2 No. 1 *Parliamentary Pensions* 1980 [Margin: Interpretation.] **2.** In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires— "Member of the Legislature" means President, Speaker or a person who has been elected or appointed as a Member of Parliament; "Deputy Minister" includes a Parliamentary Special Assistant. [Margin: Establishment of Pension Scheme.] **3.** There shall be established a non-contributory pension scheme (hereinafter referred to as "the pension scheme") for the grant of pensions to persons who have ceased to be Members of the Legislature. [Margin: Application of Act.] **4.** Any person who has served as a Member of the Legislature of Sierra Leone as from 17th May, 1973 and who is a citizen of Sierra Leone at the time of the coming into operation of this Act, shall, subject to provisions hereinafter provided, be entitled to a pension under this Act. [Margin: Period of service in the Legislature and the annual pension rate.] **5.** A Member of the Legislature who has served as President for any period or as Vice-President for a period of twelve months, or as Speaker or Minister or Deputy Minister or Deputy Speaker or as Member of Parliament for a period of seven years shall be entitled to a monthly pension computed on the basis of the annual pension rate specified in the Schedule to this Act:

Provided that any person who has served as a Minister for a minimum period of four years with an aggregate period of seven years as a Member of Parliament shall receive a monthly proportionate pension payable to a Minister computed on the basis of the annual pension rate specified in the Schedule to this Act. [Margin: When pensions shall be paid.] **6.** Any pension payable under this Act shall be paid only after the person entitled to such payment has ceased to be a Member of the Legislature: Provided that such pension shall be payable only during the lifetime of such person and shall cease to be payable upon his death. [Margin: Effect of re-election and receipt of pension under any other law.] **7.** (1) Where any person who is in receipt of a pension paid under this Act is re-elected to the Legislature, such person may elect to receive this pension in lieu of his salary from the date of his re-election until such time as he ceases to be a Member of the Legislature. (2) Where any person is in receipt of a pension under any other law, the receipt of pension under that law shall not be affected by virtue of his right to pension under this Act. No. 1 *Parliamentary Pensions* 1980 3 [Margin: Exclusion of certain periods in the computation of pension.] **8.** Where a Member of the Legislature vacates his seat in such Legislature under any written law for the time being in force, other than by resignation or the dissolution of such Legislature the period of his service as a Member in such Legislature from the date of his election to such Legislature up to the date of such vacation shall not be taken into account for the purpose of the computation of any pension under this Act. [Margin: Payment not to be assigned or levied on.] **9.** No pension payable under this Act shall be assigned or transferred and any such assignment, or transfer shall be absolutely null and void and of no effect. No such pension shall be attached or levied upon or sequestered or taken in execution of any debt or payment due by the person to whom such pension is payable. [Margin: Life certificate to be furnished.] **10.** No payment of pension shall be made to any person so entitled unless there is furnished to the Clerk of Parliament, a certificate to the effect that such member to whom the payment is due is alive at the time of payment.

[Margin: Administration of the scheme.] **11.** The Clerk of Parliament shall in consultation with the Speaker manage the affairs connected with the pensions scheme and all payments of pension shall be authorised by him out of funds sanctioned for the purpose by Parliament under the Votes of Parliament. [Margin: Payments from Consolidated Fund.] **12.** The pension payable under this Act shall be a charge on the Consolidated Fund. [Margin: Rules.] **13.** The Speaker may, in consultation with the Minister for the time being charged with the responsibility for Finance, make rules under this Act for the management of the pension scheme. [Margin: Validation of pensions already paid and savings.] **14.** (1) Where any pension or gratuity has been paid with effect from 19th April 1971 to any person who was a Member of the Legislature, then such payment shall be deemed to have been lawfully made. (2) Any person who was entitled as a Member of the Legislature to such pension or gratuity under subsection (1) but did not receive it, may now receive it in like manner. (3) In this Section "pension or gratuity" means a payment made in lump sum or in instalments to a Member of the Legislature in recognition of his services." 4 No. 1 *Parliamentary Pensions* 1980 SCHEDULE (Section 4) *Annual Pension Rates* | *Members of Legislature* | *Amount* Le | |---|---| | President ... ... ... ... ... ... ... | 5,578.65 | | Vice-President ... ... ... ... ... ... | 2,869.02 | | Minister ... ... ... ... ... ... ... | 2,510.55 | | Speaker ... ... ... ... ... ... ... | 2,271.48 | | Minister of State ... ... ... ... ... ... | 2,166.57 | | Deputy Minister ... ... ... ... ... | 1,669.20 | | Deputy Speaker ... ... ... ... ... ... | 1,669.20 | | Member of Parliament ... ... ... ... ... | 1,200.00 | Passed in Parliament this *18th* day of *January* in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and eighty. J. W. E. DAVIES, *Clerk of Parliament.* THIS PRINTED IMPRESSION has been carefully compared by me with the Bill which has passed Parliament and found by me to be a true and correctly printed copy of the said Bill. J. W. E. DAVIES, *Clerk of Parliament.*