The Yobe State Government has paid over ?6 billion in pension and gratuity to 4,271 local government retirees and beneficiaries, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr. Mohammed Goje, has disclosed.
Dr. Goje disclosed this when he received members of the Committee on Local Government Staff Pension and Gratuity Payment, who briefed him on the progress and activities of the committee since its reconstitution in July 2022 by Governor Mai Mala Buni.
The committee was reconstituted by Governor Buni with a mandate to verify local government retirees and the next-of-kin of deceased local government employees to facilitate the processing and payment of their legitimate pension and gratuity entitlements.
Goni Usman Gana, Chairman, Committee Local Government Staff Pension, who spoke for the committee said the verification, screening and processing exercise has so far resulted in the payment of over ?6 billion to more than 4,271 beneficiaries, comprising living retirees and the next-of-kin of deceased local government staff.
The SSG commended Governor Buni for his commitment to the welfare of retirees and the families of deceased local government employees, describing the payment as an important intervention towards meeting the government’s obligations to people who dedicated their productive years to public service.
Dr. Goje also commended members of the committee for their diligence and commitment to ensuring that the exercise was conducted in accordance with due process.
The committee Chairman said the verification process was carried out with emphasis on transparency, fairness and due diligence, to ensure that genuine retirees and legitimate next-of-kin of deceased staff received their entitlements.
He explained that beneficiaries were subjected to the necessary screening and verification before their claims were processed, in order to protect the integrity of the exercise and prevent fraudulent claims.
The committee comprises representatives of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), Nigerian Union of Pensioners, Local Government Audit Department, Local Government Service Commission, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, and the Local Government Staff Pension Board.
The SSG urged the committee to sustain the transparency and diligence that have characterised the exercise, while ensuring that all genuine beneficiaries are identified and processed for payment.
He assured the committee of the state government’s continued commitment to addressing outstanding pension and gratuity obligations within available resources and established procedures.
The development, he said, reflects the Buni administration’s commitment to workers’ welfare and its responsibility to retirees who served the state and local governments.
With over ?6 billion already paid to 4,271 beneficiaries, the exercise continues to provide financial relief to retired local government employees and the families of deceased staff across Yobe State.