Elizabeth Vincent, Yenagoa
Effective immediately, local government workers retiring from service in Bayelsa State will receive their full gratuities and pension benefits no later than one month after retirement.
This was disclosed by the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, during an enlarged meeting held on Wednesday with council chairmen, the Auditor General for Local Government, officials of the Local Government Pensions Board, and other senior government functionaries at Government House, Yenagoa.
A statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Doubara Atasi, quoted the Deputy Governor as saying that the decision is part of ongoing reforms within the local government system. More importantly, it aims to alleviate the suffering of retirees.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo criticized the current procedure for processing retirees’ gratuities and pensions, describing it as too slow, cumbersome, and outdated. He emphasized that the three-month pre-retirement period is sufficient for all necessary documentation to be completed.
He further stated that the government is putting modalities in place to ensure retirees receive their full gratuity payments within 30 days of leaving service.
To this end, he directed the Local Government Service Commission and the Pensions Board to make retirement forms available to all retiring staff three months before their exit date. He warned that the delays in processing retirement documents and the illegal collection of fees would no longer be tolerated.
The Deputy Governor, who oversees the local government councils and rural development authorities, noted that retirees deserve dignity and rest, not prolonged stress or hardship in accessing their benefits.
His words:
“As far as I’m concerned, the current process for the payment of gratuities and pensions is too cumbersome, complicated, time-consuming, and inefficient. I cannot continue to preside over such a punitive and ineffective system.”
“There’s no justification for the process to take up to two years before retirees receive their benefits. That’s why some die waiting for their pensions. We’re saying that all post-retirement processes and documentation should be completed within one month, and payments made immediately after retirement.”
“These retirees are our staff. So why are we sending them to the Accountant General’s office and other agencies to collect various forms? Most of the required information should already be in their files if we are truly organized.”
“These are people who have served the government for years. They deserve respect and rest—not to be subjected to unnecessary stress just to receive what is rightfully theirs.”
On the issue of unclaimed cheques from the previous round of gratuity payments, Senator Ewhrudjakpo directed the leadership of the local government chapter of the Pensioners’ Union to appoint two representatives in each local government area to facilitate information dissemination to their members.
Additionally, the Deputy Governor distributed samples of Wilberforce Herbal Tea, locally produced by the Natural Medicine Institute of the Niger Delta University. He encouraged each local government council to sponsor at least 10 individuals to study herbal medicine at the institute.
In their separate remarks, the Mayor of Yenagoa City Council, Mr. Bulodisiye Ndiwari, and the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (Local Government Chapter), Mr. Noel Itade, commended the Deputy Governor for the new initiative, which they described as a welcome development in the prompt payment of retirees’ entitlements.
