By Okey Alozie
Another chapter in the settlement of pension payment problems of retired civil servants in Imo State shall be witnessed with Governor Emeka Ihedioha revealing that the contributory pension scheme shall be implemented.
According to the governor, the best option to settle the disturbing issue of pension payment is to adopt and implement the contributory pensions scheme passed by the Imo State House of Assembly in 2009.
Ihedioha regretted how pensioners in the state were owed more than 56 months by the immediate past regime.
While stating that he is committed prompt payment of the retirees pensions, there will be LGA verification exercise to ensure the exercise goes on in line with the Rebuild Imo Policy.
The Governor at Ahiajoku Convention Centre Owerri Thursday during the stakeholders meeting revealed that fresh and last verification exercise to ascertain the true pensioners will start on Monday in all the Local Government Area of Imo State, adding that the pension scheme is now computerized and modernized in Imo to avoid fraud.
He maintained that Imo people will not surfer again on pension issue.
Mrs Ukagbuo the leader of the Technical Committee that handled pension matters while presenting her report thanked the governor for his effort towards developing Imo State. She disclosed that the verification will be rounded up within one week to enable payment to commence. She also hinted that the pension officers will come down to communities for the verification as foods and drinks will be provided to the retired workers who came for the exercise.
Mrs Ukagbuo further hinted that stabilizing the pension sector is the target of this government. According to her, the accountant General will be fully incharge in the payment of pensioners as the data has been provided to minimize fraud.
Trumpeta gathered in the new system, the state government will now pay pensioners every 26 to avoid complain as the process of data capturing must be done meticulously. It was observed that some files have been destroyed and this contributed to the delay in paying the retired workers. Records now show that number of pensioners is about 29,000 for state and local government.
Some of the retires who spoke to our reporter declared that they are now very happy with the explanations made by the governor and his team.
The submitted that the governor should pay them as a matter of urgency, three (3) months while the verification exercise continue, “we need to eat our money before dying” pensioners said.
