The Federal Government has commenced verification of retirees and officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service that were downsized as a result of public service reforms in 2006 and 2007.
The Director-General of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), Mr Dasuki Arabi, who led the verification team told newsmen in Gombe on Wednesday that they were in the state to verify affected retirees in the North-East.
Arabi stated that the team would be in the state till Friday to attend to all affected officials from the six states of the region.
He stated that the Federal Government was committed to ensuring that all verified retirees or their authenticated next of kin were given their outstanding payments.
He stated that the verification was a nationwide exercise which had been conducted in Lagos for Southwest and Asaba for the South-south zone, Enugu for the Southeast zone and the next would be in Kano and then Abuja.
According to him, the verification is at no cost to those being verified, saying that no one is expected to pay for anything but to avail themselves for the exercise as requirement for them to be paid their entitlements.
“The essence of this verification is to identify the authentic beneficiaries either the officers that are retired or their authenticated next of kin.
“Immediately the verification exercise is completed, government will proceed under the authority of the accountant-general of the federation to make payments.
“I want to inform Nigerians that other batches that have been verified, government has paid through the office of the Accountant-general.
“We are assuring Nigerians and the beneficiaries that the government is willing and ready, and payments will be made,” he said.
To ensure transparency in the process, Arabi said his team was collaborating with anti-corruption agencies in all the zones, to first clarify, identify before proceeding with the verification.
Mr Badamosi Nurudeen, the national chairman and coordinator of the downsized officers appreciated the Federal Government for efforts to ensure that their entitlements were paid after 18 years.
Nurudeen also commended the verification team for being transparent and thorough, adding that “the processes and procedures have been without hitches and this is commendable.”
He appealed to the Federal Government to ensure payment after verification so that his members could enjoy their entitlements.
