The Lagos
State Government on Tuesday paid the sum of N891 million to 324 retirees from
the mainstream civil service, local governments, state universal basic
education and other parastatals for the month of July 2016.
Speaking
at the 29th Retirement Benefit Bond presentation ceremony recently, the
Director-General, State Pension Commission (LASPEC), Mrs Folashade Onanuga
advised the beneficiaries to use the lump sum payment by their respective
Pension Fund Administrator judiciously.
She
emphasised that the State government has fulfilled her own part of paying the
retirees’ entitlements and that it is now left for the Pension Fund
Administrators /Annuity Service Providers to fulfil their part of the arrangement
by ensuring that monthly payment to retirees is made.
While reiterating that the commission will continue to monitor the activities of pension operators to guarantee that they continue to fulfil their obligations to the State retirees, Onanuga implored beneficiaries to seek professional advice when making an investment decision with their payment.
The sum
of N16,336,552 billion had already been paid to 3,924 retirees by the Lagos
State Government as accrued pension rights through LASPEC from August 2015 to
July 2016.
In a
related development, a non-governmental organisation, ‘Comfort the Discomfort
International Charitable Foundation’ has commended Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of
Lagos State for his magnanimity on the regular payment of pension and arrears
to retirees, especially in view of the economic downturn in the State and the
Nation at large.
According
to the Chairman of the NGO, Pastor J.O. Odetunde, “You took the bull by the
horn at a time many States in the federation are indebted to those who are
still in active service”, applauding the administration for implementing
programmes with the humane disposition which portrays it as a government for
humanity and posterity.
However,
it urged the government to consider provision of health packages such as
routine medical checks and free medical facilities at public health
institutions to the retirees as well as making recreational facilities
available for them to manage loneliness and enhance unbroken interrelationship
among the retirees, stressing that the recreational activities could be zoned
on Local Government basis
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