Lagos pays N9.3bn as pension in 1 yr

THE Lagos State Government said on Friday that it paid N9.3 billion as pension to 2,466 retirees in the state, between May 2017 and March 2018.

Dr Akintola Benson-Oke, the state Commissioner for Establishment, Training and Pensions, said this at the 2018 Ministerial Press Briefing, to mark the present administration’s three years in office.

“The state government, through the Lagos State Pension Commission (LASPEC), paid the sum of N9.3 billion into the Retirement Savings Account (RSA) of 2,466 public retirees, within the last one year.

“From August 2015 to date, the sum of N35.92 billion has been paid into the RSA of 8,731 retirees, deceased and withdrawn staff.

“There has been continued significant reduction in the outstanding backlog of terminal entitlements of retired public servants,” he said.

Benson-Oke said that the Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode led-administration commenced and maintained the trend of paying terminal entitlements of retired employees monthly, since August 2015.

“The ministry will continue to sensitise retirees on activities of pension fraudsters so that they will get their entitlements without hitch,” he said.

The commissioner said that the ministry would distribute welfare packages to no fewer than 8, 000 pensioners aged 70 and above this year.

On the payment of death benefit, he said that 80 beneficiaries of deceased employees in the state were paid N220.7 million within the period.

The commissioner said that the state’s Public Service Staff Development Centre trained 3, 737 officers in the last one year.

He said the training provided solutions to problems on human capacity through learning and development initiatives, using technology-driven resources.

“The essence is not only for self-development but for the skills and knowledge acquired to be deployed on the job for impactful service delivery to the teeming populace of Lagos State, ” he said.

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Benson-Oke commended the 17 labour unions in the state public service for supporting the government in creating a safe, conflict-free and productive workplace.

“It is historic to note that in the last three years, this administration has not witnessed any form of crisis, protests or agitations by labour unions,” he added.

He said the unions’ National Joint Negotiating Council met and interacted with government four times yearly to take decisions on issues pertaining to workers’ welfare and promote industrial harmony.

Benson-Oke promised that the ministry would continue to intensify efforts towards motivating and training the civil servants for better service delivery and protection of the interest of residents of the state.