LG pensions: Gov Kefas approves 500m, forms team for swift payments

Taraba state governor, Dr. Agbu Kefas has approved 500 million naira for payments of local government pensions and gratuities arrears. He has also set up a high-powered team to ensure swift payments of the backlog within the next few days.

It would be recalled that Governor kefas promised to wade into the local governments pensions backlog during the media parley he held recently to mark his first year in office.

Recall also that Dr. Kefas had already approved and released 2bn to offset the state gratuities debts. It was the biggest push for such settlements after an eleven year period of neglect by previous administrations.

In the current development, the commissioner of finance, Dr Sarah Enoch Adi, said Governor Agbu Kefas has given the marching orders for immediate release of funds and payments of accumulated arrears at the local governments levels. These initial funds will be followed up with 100 million naira each month for the continuous payments of the gratuities until all outstanding are cleared.

Already, a team to supervise the payments has been set up. The team includes the commissioner of finance, representatives of the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Pension Union, Local Government Pension Board, Magdaline Wunuji, Yoila Zando and Ibrahim Umar of the Bureau.

Emmanuel Bello

Special Adviser Media and Digital Communications