Bayelsa local councils owing N7bn pension

The Bayelsa State government has expressed worry over the N7bn pension arrears being owed by the eight local government councils of the state. 

The state government, therefore, constituted a 13-member committee to review the pensions and gratuities owed by the various local government councils in the state. 

The state’s deputy governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, who constituted the committee Tuesday, expressed worry over the increasing pension liabilities of the LGAs and the need for drastic steps to be taken to liquidate them. 

He said though it is the responsibility of the various councils to pay the pensions and gratuities of their retirees, present realities indicate that this would not be possible without the intervention of the state government. 

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He, therefore, charged the committee to quickly determine the number of actual retirees, the amount involved and recommend effective modalities on how to generate funds as well as pay the retirement benefits.

Senator Ewhrudjakpo, who directed the committee to submit their report within four weeks, assured that the state government would assist the various councils in defraying their pension liabilities.