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Imo State Governor Emeka Ihedioha has directed Accountant General of the state, Head of Service (HOS) and the Commissioner for Finance to begin payment of the retirees from Thursday, October 17, 2019.
He gave the directive at a one-day Pensions Stakeholders Forum in Owerri at the weekend, maintaining that there were discrepancies, which caused the delay and that the data issues needed to be resolved.
Governor Ihedioha also directed the government officials to work out the authentic and accurate statistics of the state’s pensioners, noting that a committee to review and put in motion a monthly payment plan had been inaugurated.
To remedy the situation, he added that a committee had since been set up to enable his administration to arrive at an accurate figure for monthly payment of the retirees and to avoid possible double payments, adding that a modern scientific device of taking care of the exercise similar to that at the Federal Level would be put in place.
Relying on the reports and recommendations of the experts assembled to handle the exercise, the governor said that equipment procured for this would be domiciled in each of the 27 council areas of the state to enable the senior citizens to obtain their pensions in their local governments of origin, while those resident in Owerri, and are unable to travel to their councils would receive theirs in their place of residence.
He explained the need to reconcile the different accounts in the system so as to put the facts right before they will commence payment, adding that he has no intention of adding to their woes.
Governor Ihedioha who gave a detailed account of the state’s finances since he assumed office, as well as the gains made since the introduction of Treasury Single Account (TSA), urged the elder statesmen to exercise patience with his administration to enable him usher in a new sustainable lease of life to them.
He lamented the huge debt profile incurred by the immediate past government, which the state was currently servicing and reiterated his determination to run a transparent and accountable government for the progress and good governance of the state.
The Governor hinted that steps about pension payment is for future benefit of the state particularly having to domesticate and domicile procured equipment at the various local government areas and also engaging our unemployed graduates with the necessary skills into the system.
Earlier, Chairman of Imo Pension Committee, Dr. P.J.U. Madu expressed satisfaction over the way and manner in which the Committee and state government has progressed so far and allayed any fear of double standards from either parties, assuring that the government would live up to their expectations.
Speaking, Chairman of the Imo State Branch of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Austin Chilakpu as well as other stakeholders, commended the governor for his transparency in the discharge of his duties adding that he was certain that the governor will at no distant time, commence the payment after the verification.
