The Enugu State Government has commenced payment of local government retirees’ pensions, following a thorough biometric verification process. Over 7,000 eligible pensioners have received their payments, while 2,640 ghost and deceased pensioners have been identified and eliminated from the payroll.
The verification exercise, conducted by the Local Government Pensioners Biometric Verification Committee, aimed to clear outstanding pensions and gratuities inherited from previous governments. Governor Peter Mbah had promised to eradicate poverty in the state by clearing inherited liabilities and ensuring legitimate retirees receive their benefits.
The biometric verification process revealed that the state had been paying over 8,760 local government retirees as of April 2024, against the 7,109 verified pensioners. The government has adopted a payment mode to guarantee the phasing out of backlogs within the set timeline.
Key points:
- Enugu State Government commences payment of local government retirees’ pensions
- Over 7,000 eligible pensioners receive payments after biometric verification
- 2,640 ghost and deceased pensioners identified and eliminated from payroll
- Verification exercise aimed to clear outstanding pensions and gratuities
- Government commits to phasing out all pension arrears and reforming pensions system
The Enugu State Government’s efforts to clear pension arrears and eliminate ghost pensioners demonstrate its commitment to transparency and accountability in the pensions system. By digitalizing the institution and making transactions transparent, the government aims to prevent corrupt elements from exploiting the scheme.
