The Abia State Government plans to implement a Pension Contributory Scheme for its civil servants, revealed Mr. Okey Kanu, the Commissioner for Information and Culture.
This announcement was made at a press briefing following the State Executive Meeting in the Government House, Umuahia, on Tuesday. Kanu noted that significant strides have been made in preparing for the transition to the new scheme.
“The state government has concluded plans to introduce a contributory pension scheme for Abia civil Servants.
“The plans for establishing the scheme have gone very far and very soon we would start the cutover to a contributory pension scheme,” he stated.
Kanu conveyed the state government’s commitment to implementing measures aimed at streamlining the pension payment process, thereby providing pensioners with a sense of inclusion.
He revealed that the government had issued a directive mandating the payment of pensions on the 28th of each month, aligning with the payment schedule for the state’s civil servants.
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Kanu also announced a significant change in policy: pensioners would henceforth receive their full monthly pension amount, rectifying the previous practice of disbursing only half.
Kanu acknowledged that the government had recently disbursed pension arrears to the pensioners, yet he recognized that some were inadvertently omitted from this payment.
To address such discrepancies, he mentioned that the Ministry of Finance has established a help desk. This initiative aims to resolve issues related to the pension arrears payment, including the oversight of certain individuals.
Kanu emphasized that the goal of these measures is to guarantee a smooth and successful process for managing pension payments.
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Nairametrics reported in March that the Abia State Government passed a law ceasing pension payments to its former governors and deputy governors.
Governor Otti contends that stopping the pension payments to former executives would be advantageous, as it would allow for the reallocation of these funds to clear the longstanding pension arrears of Abia’s retirees, which have been unresolved since 2014.
Governor Otti, who has consistently opposed pensions for former officials, acknowledged the irony of his future status as an ex-governor. He emphasized prioritizing public service and argued for ending these pensions to enhance governance and responsibility.
Credit: Nairametrics
