In a move to maximize resources at disposal of State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB for the monthly payment of teachers’ salary and remittance of pension for primary school retirees to Local Government Pension Board, Kogi State SUBEB is taking a closer look at the channels of remittance to the end beneficiaries.
Chairman of Kogi State SUBEB, Mallam Nuhu Ahmed stated this while addressing the Executives of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners Kogi State Chapter who paid him a working visit to his office in Lokoja.
He observed with dismay the culture of retirees lining up cap in hand with uncertainty every month for their pension as tragic for the system.
Mallam Ahmed said SUBEB was up to date in the remittance to Local Government Pension Board saying January pay check has since been signed and forwarded a fortnight ago.
‘‘As we speak there is no data that points to the exact number of primary school retirees at the Board; we don’t know who we pay, the delay as you witnessed in the settlement of January check stemmed out of my desire to know the exact number of primary school retirees every month’’. He said.
The former lecturer at the College of Education, Ankpa for 30 years advocated the need for synergy among SUBEB, Bureau of Local Government Pension Board and the Nigerian Union Of Pensioners with the view to checkmate possible scam.
Mallam Ahmed applauded the state Governor, Captain Idris Wada for the stability recorded in pension administration in the state, adding that the “pensioners should reciprocate the gesture”.
“Pensioners have never had it so good since the inception of the present administration, the governor has on several occasion risen to placate the pensioners, l therefore urge you to reciprocate this gesture by drying your clothes where the sun shines”.
Earlier in his remark, Kogi State Chairman of Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Comrade Onuh Abdullahi said they were in the Executive chairman`s office to congratulate him on his well deserved appointment as well as push home their demands.
He said the fate of primary school retirees still hang in the balance; adding that they are neither paid their gratuity or pension.
Comrade Abdullahi implored the SUBEB chairman to look into the age long problem of gratuity and pension with the view of addressing the issue, adding that they will work harmoniously with the chairman in his quest to salvage the system.
