…uncovers 2640 ghost and deceased pensioners on payrollk

The Enugu State Government has announced that the administration has commenced payment of pensions to local government retirees in the state, even as the pension verification authority said it uncovered 2640 ghost and deceased pensioners still on the payroll.

Announcing the development on Sunday in Enugu, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof Chidiebere Onyia, said the payment was in line with the promise of the Governor Peter Mbah Administration to clear outstanding pensions and gratuities inherited by the administration.

He stated that over 7000 local government pensioners had since received payments following the governor’s approval of the recommendations of the Local Government Pensioners Biometric Verification Committee which conducted the verification exercise.

“Recall that His Excellency, the Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, had earlier promised that his administration was poised to eradicate poverty in the state by clearing inherited backlog of pensions and other liabilities, and also keep up with its current fiscal responsibility to the citizens, among other measures. This will improve our people’s standard of living, raise purchasing power and promote strong and sustainable economic growth in the state,” the SSG said.

He added that a total of 7109 local government pensioners received monthly payments of close to half a billion naira in July, including 989 newly captured entrants who retired between April 2022 and April 2024 but were not accommodated in the pension scheme.

The SSG, who frowned at the level of fraud in the pensions system, said the record provided by the Local Government Pensions Board indicated that the state had been paying over 8760 local government retirees as of April 2024 against the 7109 verified pensioners.

Restating the state’s commitment to clear all arrears, Prof Onyia stressed that the payment mode adopted by the state would guarantee that backlogs were phased out within the timeline set out by the government.

“This administration will continue to support our citizens, particularly our senior citizens who dedicated their time and energy serving the state. We will soon phase out all arrears inherited by the administration.

“We are reforming the pensions system through strong institutional policies that would make it difficult for corrupt elements to find their way into the scheme. We have been able to digitalize the institution with measures that would make every transaction and payment transparent, accountable and traceable,” he added.