The Rivers State Local Government Services Commission, has restated its commitment to ensure the prompt payment of retirees benefits.

The commission’s chairman, Chief Azubuike Nmerukini who said this at a stakeholders meeting in Port Harcourt, also said that the commission would continue to approve with dispatch, requests for retirements of staff to reduce the sufferings of retirees.

Chief Nmerukini called on the state and local government pensions boards to ensure the removal of all bottle necks associated with payment of retirees, stressing that the commission would not tolerate any obstacles on the part of Pension Desk Officers of the 23 local government areas in the handling of retirees benefits.

The chairman also advised heads of local government administration in the state to create conducive work environment for pension desk officers to operate and also urged the local governments to provide monthly imprest for the pension desk officers to avoid asking retirees to contribute money to process their documents.

He directed the retirement committee of the commission, headed by a commissioner in the commission, Engr. Kingston Idaye Jaja to carry out sensitisation seminar in the 23 local governments in order to educate staff on pension matters.

Also speaking, the state Auditor-General for local government, Mr. Greg Anynwu thanked the commission for convening the meeting and pledged the full co-operation of his office.

Mr. Anyanwu, however, noted that the delay in payment of pension was often caused by the retirees who present false and incomplete documents to his office.

In his speech, the secretary of Local Government Staff Pension Board, Mr. Telima Wokoma attributed pension payment delay to pension desk officers of the local government who did not follow due process in processing retirees documents.

Wokoma stressed the need for regular meetings with all those involved in the preparatoin processing and payment of local governments pension to achieve the desired targets.

Harry Ikuroa A.K.