Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja
The federal government has released N1.5 billion as death benefits to all certified next-of-kin to deceased civil servants.
This disclosure was made Wednesday by the Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office, in the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, at the second edition of the permanent secretary’s quarterly forum with labour leaders in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
Walson- Jack said the release of the funds was made through the Ministry of Finance.
She revealed that N1.3 billion had been approved for disbursement to the next-of-kin for the 497 verified and certified claims out of 563 registered death benefits claims of deceased workers in 166 MDAs.
According to Walson- Jack, the payments of the death benefits for the period not covered by the insurance policy subscribed to by the deceased workers would begin this month.
She disclosed that the exercise to verify the claims submitted by the MDAs was carried out in January.
The Permanent Secretary also informed the labour unions that the Office of the Head of Service had also designed a robust welfare package for civil servants who are still in the service.
She added that the civil service reforms being canvassed by the Head of Service, Mrs. Winnifred Oyo- Ita, would not succeed without commensurate incentives and motivation for the workers.
“This cannot be achieved without the use of motivation, which ties incentives and rewards to better performance. Pursuant to this laudable initiatives, the service welfare office has submitted a robust proposal for the institutionalisation of a Rewards and Recognition System (R&RS) “, Walson-Jack said.
