The Lagos State Government said on Friday that it had paid over N4.6 billion as pensions to its retired workers in the last one year.
Florence Oguntuase, Commissioner for Establishment and Training, made the disclosure at the 2014 Ministerial Press Briefing in Ikeja.
She said that a total of 14,981 pensioners, consisting 9,200 for the mainstream civil service, 5,749 for teaching service and 32 for Judiciary had been paid their pension arrears for the period under review.
The commissioner said that over N1.6 billion was paid by the Civil Service Pensions Office (CSP0) to retirees under the old pensions scheme while more than N2. 9 billion was paid by the Lagos State Pension Commission, under the contributory scheme.
She said that over N34.1 billion was paid as gratuities to 65 new pensioners while 104 files of terminal benefits of prospective pensioners were treated.
Oguntuase said that the state government placed premium on the welfare of its retirees through prompt payment of pensions and other welfare initiatives.
“We are passionately committed to the welfare of our retirees that is why we pay their monthly pensions almost at the same time as the salaries of those still in the service are paid.
“Apart from this, we are taking steps to show that we truly care for our retirees.
“For example, officials from our welfare unit pay biannual visits to retirees above 70 years to inquire about their health.
“On such visits, our officials go with some welfare packages to give assurance that the government still appreciates them even as they are old.”
According to her, the state government has paid a cumulative sum of over N24.4 billion as pensions since the commencement of the contributory scheme.
On why some pensioners were yet to get their entitlements, Oguntuase attributed the problem to failure of the affected retirees to complete their documentation.
She implored those with such problem to put all their documents together and approach the relevant offices for intervention.
On wage review for workers, Oguntuase, said the state was working on the modalities of reviewing workers wage in line with its wage policy, adding that the state government was also looking at the demands of university lecturers for wage review.
The commissioner said that 2,471 workers were trained under the state’s manpower development programme.
She said that the ministry, in collaboration with the Teachers Establishments and Pensions Office (TEPO), trained 1,775 newly employed teachers.
Oguntuase said the ministry conducted performance evaluation of staff within the period and that 12,654 workers were promoted.
She said the workers were assessed based on the new Performance Evaluation approach which placed emphasis on job performance rather than examinations.
NAN
