The Director General of the Kogi State Pension Commission, Mrs Maryam Obedo has praised Gov. Yahaya Bello for given prompt attention to the payment of salaries and Pension in the State.
The Director General gave the commendation in a message to this year’s celebration of National Pensioners Day, held at the Union’s Secretariat Lokoja
Mrs Maryam Obedo described Governor Bello as a retiree friendly Governor, recalled that on assumption of office, she was given a mandate by Gov. Bello to personally justify her appointment by putting smiles on the faces of retirees.
The Director General explained that alot of innovations have been introduced in making the payment of pensions easy for retirees, noting that pensioners with severe health challenges are given priority and usually helped to access their gratuities.
She explained that she understands the challenges of pensions at the Local Government levels, stressed that attention and modalities are currently been put in place to address the challenges of pensioners at the Local Government levels.
She however warned those acting as middle men with the aim of extorting pensioners by promising to help them assess their gratuities to desist, warned that the era of submitting authority letters through proxies to access retirees benefits is no longer allowed.
Mrs Obedo disclosed that pensioners in the State are now paid same day with those in service, promised to brief Gov. Bello on the observed challenges affecting Local Government workers and pensioners.
The DG said her office would soon be digitalised to cater for current challenges including that of missing documents, time wasted in getting files as well as the amount paid and outstanding balances of gratuity due to individual pensioners
In her remarks, the Kogi
State Head of Service, Mrs Hannah Odiyo, Represented by the Permanent Secretary in Charge of Establishment and Training, Mr
Peter Ebiloma, promised to look into issues raised by the Local Government pensioners, assurring that the administration of Gov. Bello is committed to making retirement more enjoyable and productive.
The HoS congràtulated the Pensioners on the occasion, saying after years of meritorious services, pensioners as senior citizens should be made to live a life of fulfillment and pleasure.
She thanked Governor Bello for the prompt payment of monthly pension to the state Civil servants, assuring that efforts is on to look into the challenges as observed with the Local Government salaries and pension.
Speaking at the occasion, the State Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Labour, Comr Onuh Edoka, commended Gov. Bello for prompt payment of salaries and pensions as at when due, praised the Governor for standing on the side of workers.
Comr. Edoka however demanded for the implementation of the new minimum wage, as well as the consequential adjustment of pension in the State.
He also called for a critical look into the idea of the contributory pension scheme saying such decision should not be taken without the implementation of the new minimum wage, normalization of promotion in the State Civil service as well as the full payment of salaries to Local Government workers.
He charged labour leaders in the State to serve with the genuiness of purpose by taking issues of workers with utmost concern, disclosing that Gov. Bello is not aware of some of the predicaments faced by workers and pensioners at the Local Government levels.
Comrade Edoka, warned those paying lips services to the issues of pensioners to have a rethink, emphasising that such persons would some day fall into the same situation after retirement.
The NLC Chairman expressed worries over the dehumanizing conditions of LG pensioners who he disclosed are currently living on 35% of their entitlements, expressed optimism that the present administration would redress the issues.
Earlier, the State Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners, Engineer Clement Ohida, expressed sincere appreciation to Governor Bello for paying monthly pension allowances to Pensioners, commended him for the release of N100 million on monthly basis for gratuities.
Engr. Clement Ohida disclosed that the Local Government retirees have been living on percentage payments since the inception of the Gov. Bello led administration emphasised that there are no indications for the refund of the arrears of the percentage being paid as well as their gratuities since the inception of his administration.