Gombe Gov inaugurates 11-member committee to resolve gratuities, pensions
Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya has constituted an 11-member committee to work out modalities for a workable reform of the State Pension Administration System.
The Committee headed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Ibrahim Njodi, would review all issues associated with Contributory Pension Scheme for efficient implementation.
According to a press statement made available by the Information Officer to the SSG’s office Joshua Danmalam, the inauguration was an attempt to tackle lingering issues of pension and gratuity of prospective retirees in the State.
Recall that Governor Yahaya’s administration has been battling with the payment of pension and gratuity arrears it inherited from past administrations where billions of naira had been expended in the last two years.
Members of the Committee include; the State Attorney general and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Zubairu Umar and his Finance and Information counterparts, Mohammed Magaji and Meshach Lauco.
Other members are; the State Auditor General Muhammed Buba Gombe, Local Auditor general Mr. Mahdi Aliyu, the state Account General Dr. Aminu Yuguda, Permanent Secretary Special Services and Political Affairs SSGs office, Muhammed Umar, Director State Pension Bureau, Abubakar Mohammed Jungudo, the Executive Secretary Local Government Pension Board and Suleiman Mohammed while Usman Malam is to serve as Secretary to the Committee.
The Committee which had its inaugural meeting on Tuesday, assured that they would come up with, “finest pension system for the State within the shortest possible time for Governor Yahaya’s nod and Implementation for the benefit of civil servants at both the State and Local Governments,” the statement partly read.
A welcomed move by the state Government. May the committee be guided by Allah SWT, for an effective pension system for the state.
It is worthy of note, however, that the committee should not engage civil servants on a compulsory pension scheme, where after retirement, pensioners find it difficult to access their savings or how much they could withdraw.
Kudos to His Excellency.