This, according to her would enable them get retirement benefits along with their spouses when they leave office.
Mrs. Jonathan made the plea in a chat with journalists shortly after she was sworn-in as Permanent Secretary in the Bayelsa State Civil Service along with 18 others by Governor Seriake Dickson on Friday afternoon.
She lamented that the office of the First Lady is not currently recognised because it is not in the Constitution, saying its inclusion will “enable the occupier of that position to enjoy benefits of the office like their husbands on retirement.”
She recalled a situation when the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) prevailed on the president to call her to order because the role of the first lady is not in the Constitution.
She tasked the Constitution Amendment Committee to look into the issue with a view to including it in the next constitution.
“We the wives of political office holders, if our names are not in the constitution and our husbands retire with benefits, the Constitution amendment committee should also look into the issue of wives of political appointees.
“We should be included in the Constitution so that we too can retire with benefits. With that we can enjoy our career, “Mrs. Jonathan added.
In his address, Governor Dickson, warned the new permanent secretaries against involvement in politics, saying “we don’t want your involvement in politics; we don’t want to hear that any permanent secretary is involved in the act of politicising our People.”
Source: The Nation Newspaper
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