Afolashade Kokumo, Permanent Secretary Bureau of Local Government Pension has said that Ogun state government had paid N3,786,164,954.56 as pension for both teaching and non-teaching staff pensioners across 20 Local Government Councils and 37 Local Council Development Areas between January and September.
She added that a total of 963 pensioners had also been enlisted on government payroll within the period under review, saying that the relentless effort of the present administration at making the welfare of pensioners paramount in its budget despite the paucity of funds in the State was responsible for fairly regular payment of pensions.
Speaking through Rotimi Opeodu, Director of Finance and Supplies in the Bureau during an oversight visit by Ogun State House Assembly Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs recently, the Permanent Secretary assured that government would continue to make the welfare of pensioners in the State paramount.
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Responding, Olusola Sonuga, Chairman, Ogun State House Assembly Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, commended the effort of the Bureau and the State government commitments as regards prompt payment to pensioners, just as he explained that the commission had helped the Bureau to record success in the discharge of its statutory duties to pensioners in the State.
He admonished the Bureau to create synergy with the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to bring the challenges confronting it to the attention of the State government for solutions and advised the Bureau to also devise methods towards ensuring that intending pensioners get their benefits a month or two months before they retire as document needed for fast-tracking the payment should be submitted a year before the due date.
Sonuga, who was joined by other lawyers in the Committee, including, Ganiu Oyedeji, Olayiwola Ojodu, Akinpelu Aina and Olusola Bankole, said, “I want you to devise another method for pensioners so that they can get their benefits a month or two before their retirement. They should submit their documents for processing a year before their due date.”
RAZAQ AYINLA, Abeokuta
