Obaseki earmark N12.8bn for pension, gratuities in 2021

Admin l Sunday, November 29, 2020

 

BENIN CITY, Edo, Nigeria – The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has said his administration will expend N12.8 billion in 2021 for payment of pension and gratuities. The governor, in a statement, reaffirmed his government’s commitment to the welfare of workers and pensioners in the state.

Obaseki noted that as part of the commitment to the welfare of workers, his government will in 2021 commit N6.1 billion to inject requisite skill into the state’s civil service, bestowing workers with tools and skills that stand them out, make for a better work-life balance.

According to him, “To make Edo great again, we need to focus on our people, who are our most cherished asset. Though we have embarked on far-reaching reforms to retool the civil service for efficiency and productivity in the last four years, the progress we have seen has buoyed us to pursue even more systemic reforms.

“In this regard, we would be expending N12.8 billion in 2021 for payment of pension and gratuities. We will also be committing N6.1 billion to inject requisite skill into the state’s civil service, bestowing workers with tools and skills that stand them out, make for a better work-life balance and ensure efficient service.

The Obaseki-led state government had in 2020 expended over N4.3 billion in clearing the backlog of outstanding pension arrears owed about 3,128 pensioners in the state. The state government also spent N25, 047,472,632.77 in the monthly pension payment of 13,081 pensioners from November 2016 to May 2020.

With the setting aside of N200 million monthly, the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration has been able  to defray arrears of pensions dating back to 1996 up to December 2018 in furtherance of its commitment to the welfare of pensioners.