Segun Fagbemi, Ilorin.
Kwara State Government has constituted two committees comprising mainly technocrats and Labour leaders to verify the existing gratuities’ records at the state and local government levels and clear pensioners to receive their dues on the basis of when they retired from the civil service.
The eight-member committee for the state gratuities is headed by the Auditor General of the State, while the one for the local government gratuities is headed by the Local Government Auditor General.
Members of the committee are representatives of the retired Permanent Secretaries, retired civil servants’ association, Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress, Account and Finance Staff (ICAN certified), Account and Finance Staff (ANAN Certified), Secretary Iyabo Adebayo (for state) and Secretary Mrs Amina Ahmed (Local Government).
The committee at the local government area included representatives of the retired Local Government Civil Servants Association and Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
“The primary objective of the committee is to ensure the accurate and transparent compilation of outstanding state and LGA gratuities for eligible pensioners in readiness for automated bank transfer payments,” Commissioner for Finance Dr. Hauwa Nuru said in a statement.
The committees’ terms of reference include to request and obtain from the pension board the detailed yearly gratuity schedule of all outstanding liabilities to date, verify the accuracy and completeness of same, confirm the qualification of all pensioners against PSN Number/Pension Number, KWSSRA SSID database and NIN; ensure proper record reconciliation by cross checking figures against available government records and documents.
The committees are also mandated to prioritise payments recommendations chronologically, ensure recommended disbursements start from the oldest outstanding year and progress upward in line with available funds and ensure accountability and audit readiness in all processes and documentation