Ogun pledges prompt payment of pensions, earmarks N8bn for gratuities

As part of effort to guarantee happy retirement and secure better living conditions for the senior citizens who had worked meritoriously for their fathers’ land, Ogun state government has pledged to ensure prompt payment of pensions and gratuities to all existing pensioners and retiring workers in the 20 local councils and the entire state.

Speaking in Abeokuta on the packages prepared by government to all pensioners in the local councils, Ayo Kolawole, permanent secretary, Bureau of Local Government Pensions, said that various meaningful steps had been taken to ensure that pensioners get paid promptly, adding that some operational vehicles and other logistic materials would be purchased to facilitate quick operations.

Kolawole also revealed that the agency is encouraging saving culture among the workers during active services in order to ensure that pensioners save to cater for their old ages, saying the Bureau of Local Government Pensions is also ensuring effective supervision and proper remittance of pension deductions under contributory pension scheme to Custodians.

Also, Seye Senfuye, permanent secretary, Bureau of State Pensions disclosed that the State government had allocated N8 billion for payment of all categories of pensions and gratuities to all Ogun state pensioners this year, saying: “government is doing everything possible to ensure that pensioners enjoy a happy retirement life, devoid of stress.”

Giving the breakdown of pensions and gratuities to be paid this year, Senfuye noted that the sum of N6.519 billion would be paid as monthly pensions for 12 months, while a total of N1.981 billion would be used to offset gratuities of retiring workers, adding that the State government had paid monthly pensions up to November 2015 and December 2015 pensions would soon be released.