Don’t Bribe To Influence Payment Of Gratuities, Edo Govt Admonishes Pensioners

Follow

( 0 Followers )

X

Follow

E-mail : *

Follow Unfollow

The Edo State government has told pensioners awaiting their gratuities not to give anybody money to facilitate their payments, stating that it is criminal to do so.
The government emphasised that “There is no 10 percent to pay”, directing that “Anybody that demands one percent from you, report him to the pension bureau”.

Speaking on Monday when he presented cheques to teachers and local government workers who retired in 2012, Chairman, Local Government Staff Pension Bureau, Kabiru Adjoto, assured that the payment would be a continuous one as Governor Monday Okpebholo “is willing and determined to pay”.

It was an emotional moment for some of the pensioners many of whom were visibly feeble, as they shed tears of joy after collecting their cheques.
The payments were made from the one billion Naira fund provided recently by Governor Okpebholo to begin clearance of the backlog of pension benefits of retired workers.

Some pensioners, who retired between 2009 and 2011, were also captured in the payment while others who were currently critically ill but retired from 2013, were paid on compassionate grounds.
Adjoto said Governor Okpebholo had promised to release another N1bn for payment of 2013 retirees.
Emphasising that the governor was serious about payment of gratuities, the former speaker of the state House of Assembly explained that payment made to retirees from 2009 to 2011 was to ensure that all arrears were cleared.

According to Adjoto, “Okpebholo said it was unfortunate that gratuity was allowed to be accumulated. He said another N1bn will be released once we commenced this payment. That means it will be a continuous exercise. We discovered that there were some persons who retired from 2009 to 2011 that have not been paid. We brought the backlog and cleared all of them. Before Friday this week, Governor Okpebholo said he will release another N1bn.

“The Governor wants Edo to be a model for Nigeria. Okpebholo is serious about gratuity. He is not happy about the accumulation. You will get your money.
“We have a government that is willing and determined to pay. It is going to be a continuous exercise. I appeal to you to be patient.”

Chairman, Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) Samuel Okhuelegbe, thanked the governor for the payment and called for more support from the state government.