Babalola Obilana, the director-general, Lagos Pension Commission (LASPEC), says the state government was firming up agreements that would lead to the implementation of free transportation and healthcare for retirees above 60 years.

In an interview on the sidelines of the 95th Retirement Benefit Bond Certificates Presentation for Retirees, he said that the welfare packages were yet to be implemented due to several processes required for negotiations and agreement with relevant transportation agencies.

“The commissioner for establishments is working day and night to ensure that we begin the implementation of these packages.

“Before the end of the third quarter of the year, we should be in the position to start, at least with the free transportation and then proceed to the free medical,” he said.

The state government has since 2020 proposed free transportation and healthcare for its elder statesmen.

In 2021, the state government promised to commence the free transportation for the retirees before the end of the first quarter and the free healthcare before the end of the year 2022, respectively.

“We are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, and very soon we will start with the free transportation for the retirees, and subsequently we will start the free healthcare too,” he started.

Meanwhile, he said no fewer than 10,000 retirees are owed their pension rights in Lagos, adding that the commission also had about N10 billion to pay as outstanding accumulated debts for pensioners in the state.

According to him, the outstanding pension would be settled before the end of the first tenure of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in May 2023.

The state government paid more than N1.5 billion to 487 retirees for June on Friday.

Mr Obilana said that with the latest payment, pension benefits for retirees of 2020 had been settled, and the state government would start paying retirees for the year 2021 by July.

Also, the Lagos State Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions, Ajibola Ponle, said the government had paid over N42 billion as accrued pension rights to 11,349 retirees from 2019 to date.

(NAN)