Ondo govt begins verification of LG pensioners

The Ondo State Government, on Monday, commenced physical verification and production of digital identification cards for all pensioners across the 18 local government areas of the state.

Flagging off the exercise in Igbaraoke, headquarters of Ifedore local government area of the state, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Union Matters and Special Duties, Mr Bola Taiwo, said the initiative is aimed at addressing the identification challenges confronting pensioners and preventing harassment from taxing and rating officers.

Taiwo explained that the verification and production of digital identification cards for the local government pensioners would help the government in the bulk defrayment of their gratuity through periodic and steady release of funds.

He disclosed that the exercise was not to victimise or witch-hunt any pensioner but to update the payroll system, correct irregularities and improve the overall accuracy of pension data.

According to the Special Adviser, with the verification, government would be able to ascertain the actual number of retirees in the local government system in the state.

Taiwo, while admitting that the state did not know the actual figure of the local government retirees, said that without accurate data, the government would not be able to plan well.

He said, “The importance of this is that the governor wants to defray all the gratuity of the pensioners, but we find out that the figure, the number of people that are available are not accurate, the data are not accurate.

“So, we want to get correct data, so that we’ll be able to pay their salary as and when due, and pay their gratuity as and when due.

“The governor started payment from 2010, 2011, 2012, now we are in 2013, but when we looked at the figure, we were shocked. In 2013 alone, we have about 3,500 retirees and we have paid about N1.7 billion.

“If we don’t know the actual people, we cannot plan on how to pay their salary, how to pay their gratuity. That is what we are afraid of leading to this exercise.”

Taiwo advised the pensioners not to be afraid of dropping their Bank Verification Number (BVN), saying that it would assist in the seamless payment of their benefits.

The Permanent Secretary, Local Government Pension Transitional Department, Dr Mercy Femi-Idris, explained that the verification and production of identification card for all pensioners would prevent harassment of the senior citizens.

Femi-Idris said the digital identification card was designed to help in the process of identification of pensioners, and prevention of identity theft and fraud.

He said “As you are already aware, Mr governor has restored hope to our esteemed pensioners through regular payment of pension allowances and bulk payment of gratuity.

“The bulk defrayment of gratuity of pensioners, through periodic and steady release of funds by government, is one of the ways of easing the pains associated with unpaid gratuity of our senior citizens.

“This exercise is two events merged into one. Firstly, it is a verification or census for our pensioners; and secondly, for the production of identification card for all pensioners on the payment platform of our department.

“The seamless bulk payment of gratuity to pensioners and their next of kin, in case of deceased pensioners, as contemplated by the government, has been impaired by lack of data.

“However, this department is making steady progress to overcome the challenges being encountered,”

One of the retirees, Mr Oluwatobi Omojola, commended the department for the initiative, expressing hope that it would go a long way to help them in getting their benefits.

Also, Mr Adejumo Samuel-Ojo, appreciated the government for clearing the outstanding gratuities seamlessly.

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