Edo State, government said it has sustained the monthly N264 million payment to pensioners, to ensure that retirees enjoy their status as senior citizens of the state. Permanent Secretary, Edo State Pension Bureau, Mr. I.D.S Juwobor, said that notices are published regularly for pensioners to make themselves available for verification, after which their accounts are credited. “The payment plan is seamless and hassles-free, in recognition of the status of our pensioners as men and women who have contributed immensely to the development of our state.
“The pensioners appreciate the efforts of the Obaseki administration to clear the backlog and eliminate the cumbersome and analogue pension arrangement, with the introduction of contributory pension scheme, which the governor initiated,” the Permanent Secretary said. He added that “the recent release of the sum of 1.5 billion naira for the payment of their pension arrears by the governor to clear eight months arrears of 4,340 local government pensioners in the state, is worthy of commendation and much of the pension burden on government have been defrayed.”
State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Jimoh Ijegbai, who assured of the governor’s commitment in clearing all arrears owed pensioners in the state, said “You will recall that on the 1st of May 2018 during the May Day celebration, the governor made a promise to release 1.5 billion naira to clear part of the local government pensioner’s arrears in the state.”
Ijegbai explained that after the announcement by the governor, a meeting of the pensioners was called and immediately the screening of the pensioners commenced. The commissioner said the gesture by the governor is unprecedented in the history of Edo State to release such an amount to pay pension arrears. He noted that since Obaseki assumed office as governor of Edo state, he has not defaulted in the payment of pensioners in the state. “As at today, we pay 264 million naira monthly to pay our pensioners in the state and we will continue to pay until we clear the outstanding arrears”.
The President of Local Government Pensioner Association (Edo State) Frank Akinido thanked the governor for keeping to his promise of paying pensioners and express delight to witness the release of the 1.5 billion to this effect. He assured the governor that pensioners of local government in Edo State are peace abiding citizens. He thanked the governor of the state for remembering the pensioners in the scheme of things especially at this crucial hour of financial hardship.
