- Conducts verification on non-pensionable staff
By Ebere Nwoji
The Lagos State Government has said that it paid a total of N1.84billion to pensioners between March 2016 and April 2017, just as it has conducted a verification exercise on non-pensionable staff in the 20 Local Government Council (LGCs) and 37 Local Council Development Areas(LCDAs) in the state.
The Commissioner for Ministry of Establishments, Training and Pensions, Dr. Akintola Benson made this known briefing journalists on the activities and achievements of the ministry and its departments.
“The establishment department, under the Lagos State Ministry of Establishment, Training and Pensions, in conjunction with the Office of the Head of Service and Office of the Auditor General, on the directive of the State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, has conducted a verification exercise on non-pensionable staff in the 20 LGCs and 37 LCDAs.
He said the office has also forwarded names of 185 Lagos State pensioners with federal shares complaints ranging from short payment of gratuity and arrears to stoppage of monthly pensions, to the Director-General, Pensions Transition Arrangement Department (PTAD) office, Abuja as well as facilitated the reinstated payments of additional 15 pensioners that have just attained the Expected Date of Pension (EDOP), and adjustments in pension.
He said the department, has also in conjunction with the Office of Transformation, Creativity and Innovation, carried out an exercise on workforce planning and streamlining of contract appointment at the Lagos Water Corporation.
“In the same vein and in line with extant provisions, approvals for payment of severance allowance in respect of political office holders who had completed their tenure in office were obtained from the governor”.
According to him, the department compiled and submitted the changes witnessed on establishments matters within the last 50 years in Lagos State, noting that in line with the directive of the governor for the replacement of written examinations towards promotions, with structured training, the office supervised the compliance of the directive, service–wide.
He said that among other activities of the establishment, the year 2017 bilateral personnel budget discussion commenced in the month of May, 2016 and was concluded in August 2016.
He informed that the approved year 2016 personnel budget signed by the governor are personnel cost which include basic salary and allowance of N 72.55 billion, personnel cost (consolidated) at N1.9 billion and other personnel cost of N1 million.â€
He further stated that the industrial department of the ministry, also engaged in regular working visitations to all industrial unions in the state public service including the tertiary institutions in the state, explaining that the objective was to foster harmonious relationship between the management of MDAs and Unions in the State Public Service while the initiative is also to sniff out areas of potential conflicts and to nip such conflicts in the bud before they escalate to crises.
Speaking on the Civil Service Pensions Office (CSPO), Benson said the department, has been processing terminal benefits of staff who exit the system by way of statutory or voluntary retirement like those who disengage on the “Pay As You Go†Scheme, adding that in the last one year, the CSPO has achieved a lot.
He said pensioner population in the main stream stands at 8,512 as at April, 2017, while the total sum of N1.84billion was paid as pensions from May 31, 2016 to 30th April, 2017.
