The Borno State High-Powered Committee on Pension Screening has restated its resolve to ensure timely and equitable pension payments to deserving beneficiaries.
The committee’s chairman, Barrister Mallam Fannami, who is also the State Head of Service, made this commitment in Maiduguri while addressing journalists after the committee’s inaugural meeting held at the Musa Usman Secretariat.
According to Barrister Fannami, the 15-member committee, which comprises representatives from organised labour, the Trade Union Congress, and the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, with Professor Babagana Gutti as secretary, is determined to identify and support genuine beneficiaries while eliminating false claims.
The committee’s terms of reference, he explained, include ascertaining the actual number of living pensioners on the payroll in the state, local government, and local education authority; determining outstanding unpaid pension and gratuity for all living and deceased pensioners; recommending seamless methods for pension administration and payment; and tracking living pensioners quarterly.
Barrister Fannami assured pensioners in hard-to-reach areas that they would not be left out, stressing that helicopters and other transportation means would be utilised to reach them.
He appealed to committee members to work together for success and assured Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of the committee’s determination to complete its task within the stipulated timeframe.
The committee’s proactive approach aligns with Governor Zulum’s administration’s focus on good governance, transparency, and accountability.
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