About 12,191 pensioners captured under the Ogun state’s non-contributory pension scheme have received a total of N5.017 billion between the months of January and June this year, the state government has said.
The Permanent Secretary, Bureau of Local Government Pensions, Folasade Kokumo made the declaration at this at the ongoing 2020 budget appraisal conducted by State House of Assembly Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs being led by Akeem Balogun held at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
Kokumo said the Bureau which is poised to making life more abundant for pensioners through effective coordination and prompt payment of monthly pensions, had compiled all outstanding gratuities and death pensions to date.
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Explaining that the contributory pension scheme which commenced in 2008 in line with the State Pension Reform Law, 2006, was amended in 2013, the Permanent Secretary noted that a total number of 6,872 workers were projected to retire on Transition Pensions Scheme, while 16,527 were scheduled to retire on contributory pension scheme which would be fully operational in the State by July 2025.
On the 2020 budget of the Bureau, Kokumo said N4.9 million was expended on capital projects which included the launching of a portal for pensioners, especially those abroad to upload their documents for assessment amongst other infrastructural projects.
Similarly, the State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Afolabi Afuape equally defended the 2020 budget performance of the Ministry with an assurance that the Ministry would continue to elicit effective management of the chieftaincy institution, hence the need to strategise towards establishing Chieftaincy Tribunal to address litigations on Chieftaincy matters in the State.
Afuape explained that the proposed quasi-judicial body was aimed at mediating in chieftaincy disputes, towards resolving all pending litigations on chieftaincy matters to further uphold the revered status of the traditional institution in the State.
He assured that the ministry would continue to provide effective monitoring of the 20 Local Government Councils for the promotion of transparency and accountability, ensure wealth creation, employment creation, poverty reduction, and value orientation programmes in all the Local Government Areas.
The lawmakers also appraised the 2020 budget performance of the Local Government Service Commission as presented by the Permanent Secretary, Kasali Olabimtan.
