ABIA STATE GOVT SETS ASIDE OVER NINE BILLION NAIRA FOR PENSION ARREARS

REPORTER: PEACE AGBO

A contributory Pension Scheme is to be established to improve the welfare of civil servants in Abia State.

This was part of the resolution of the weekly state Executive Council meeting chaired by Governor Alex Otti.

Addressing journalists at the Government House Umuahia after the meeting, the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Prince Okey Kanu, alongside other commissioners and government aides, said a ”Help Desk” had been set up in the Ministry of Finance to address issues arising from the recent payment of arrears of pensions to retirees in the state to ensure everyone is captured.

Prince Kanu further stated that government had ordered that henceforth full monthly pensions would be paid to the retirees the same day salaries of civil servants were paid.

The Commissioner also announced the approval of reconstruction of a 3.5km Osisioma – Ekeakpara road in Osisioma Local Government Area.

He stressed that it would be reconstructed with cement pavement technology to guarantee its duration.

Explaining further on the issues of pensions, the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Mike Akpara, said over nine billion naira had so far been spent to offset the arrears of pensions in the state following the agreement reached with the Nigerian Union of Pensioners in the state.

Contributing, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ferdinand Ekeoma, said the payments were verifiable, adding that the calculations were properly done and the negotiations with the leadership of the pensioners happened without hitches.

On the issue of the forthcoming free medical mission in the state, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ngozi Okoronkwo said all is set for the programme and noted that the number of prospective patients had increased because of great interest people have shown in the programme.

Dr. Okoronkwo also announced that the State had got approval from the Nursing Council to train people in a two year certificate programme to produce practitioners in community healthcare system who would assist health personnel serving in the communities.

EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU