Gov. Peter Mbah of Enugu has inaugurated a committee to verify and pay retired primary school teachers and other local government retirees in the state.

The governor, while inaugurating the 9-member committee at the Government House, Enugu, on Wednesday, said the decision was in continuation of his commitment to ensuring that retirees who had served and helped in building the state were rewarded with their entitlements.

Members of the committee included Rev. Fr. Nnamdi Nwankwo as chairman, Donatus Achi, a retired permanent secretary, and Ike Ekere, state chairman, Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), as members.

Other members are Theophilus Nweke Odo, state chairman, Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT); Kenneth Ugwueze, state chairman, National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE); Adenike Okebu, senior special assistant to the governor on revenue; Larry Oguego, human rights activist; Chinedu Ngene from the state audit department, and Obiamaka Egbo, special adviser to the governor on public finance.

Mr Mbah recalled that a similar committee was recently constituted at the state level to clear the outstanding pensions and gratuities owed to civil servants since 2006.

He added that the decision was in fulfilment of his campaign promises to the people.

He charged the committee to reflect their integrity and experiences on the assignment given to them as they were selected based on some critical consideration bordering on their track records and credibility in life.

Mr Mbah, represented by the secretary to the state government, Chidiebere Onyia, disclosed that the committee at the state level, which would serve as a guide, had done extensive work and was expected to submit its report and recommendations on Friday.

He expressed confidence in the integrity of members of the committee, even as he enjoined them to justify their selection into the all-important team by upholding the hope of the people and what the government represented.

The terms of reference of the committee include verifying and determining all outstanding pensions and gratuities due to local government staff and primary school teachers.

Others are to verify and determine the total number of local government retirees that are primary school teachers and local government staff.

It is also to recommend an appropriate plan or module for payment of all the verified pensions and gratuities and to submit their findings and report within three weeks of its inauguration.

The governor said the exercise was the continuation of his passion to ensure an equitable approach to how pension and gratuity matters are addressed in the state.

“We will all agree that verification is critical to the success of this project.

“So, what you are going to be doing is almost mirroring what is being done at the state level, but this might be a bit complex because it is that of local governments.

“We needed the level of experience of the people we have here and the chairman of the committee is someone we can trust and hold to a very high esteem.

“Your recommendations will determine what my administration does as a policy declaration after you have also submitted your report and you have a duration of three weeks to do this.

“We are confident this team will provide the necessary decisions, support and recommendations for us to be able to act on the next step to this journey that we have started in meeting our pension and gratuity obligations,” he said.

The chairman of the committee, Nwankwo, who also doubles as rector, Enugu State Polytechnic, Iwollo, pledged the committee’s readiness to deliver on its given assignment.

He promised that the team would come up with plausible and outstanding suggestions that would benefit the people, especially those retirees who urgently need the succour the governor would avail them. 

Mr Nwankwo added that the committee would do its best to help the government in extending its gesture to the people, describing the act as a timely relief to the expected beneficiaries.

(NAN)