The Lagos State Government has paid N891 million to 324 retirees from the sainstream civil service, local governments, State Universal Basic Education and other parastatals of government for the month of July, 2016.
A statement from the Lagos State Pension Commission (LASPEC), and made available to Business247 News Online stated that while the Director-General, LASPEC, Mrs. Folashade Onanuga, was speaking at the 29th Retirement Benefit Bond Presentation Ceremony which took place in Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos on Monday, she advised the beneficiaries to use the lump sum they will be paid by their different Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) judiciously.
She also implored them not to do businesses they are not conversant with so that they do not lose out to fraudsters.
Onanuga said the Lagos State government has fulfilled her own part of paying the retiree’s entitlements, and it is now left for the Pension Fund Administrators /Annuity Service Providers to take over the responsibility of paying the retirees their lump sum and pension monthly. She reiterated that the commission will continue to monitor the activities of the pension operators to ensure that they continue to fulfil their obligations to the state retirees.
She stated that a total of N16.336.552 billion had been paid to 3, 924 retirees by the Lagos State Government as accrued pension rights through LASPEC in the last 12 months, that is, from August 2015 to July, 2016.
In a related development, a non-governmental organisation, Comfort the Discomfort International Charitable Foundation, has appreciated and commended the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode for his magnanimity in the payment of the arrears of pensions at this crucial moment of economic downturn in the state and the nation at large.
According to the chairman of the organisation, Pastor Odetunde J.O, “You took the bull by the horn at a time many states of the federation are indebted to those who are still in the active service.” He commended this administration for implementing programmes with humane disposition that portrays it as one who laboured for humanity and posterity.
However, it urged the government to “consider provision of health packages such as routine medical checks and free medical facilities to the retirees at the public health institutions as well as making recreational facilities available to them so as to manage loneliness and enhance unbroken interrelationship among the retirees. These recreational activities could be zoned or on local government basis,” he concluded.
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