TheCable

Peter Mbah, governor of Enugu, has inaugurated a seven-man committee on verification and payment of outstanding pensions and gratuities to state retirees.

The committee is chaired by Chidiebere Onyia, secretary to the state government; and has Kenneth Ugwu, head of service; Anthony Okenwa, accountant-general; and Obiamaka Egbo, special adviser to the governor on public finance, as members.

Other members are Ben Asogwa, state chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC); Fabian Nwigbo, state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC); and Ezekiel Omeh, chairman of the public service joint negotiating council.

Mbah said the move is in keeping with his campaign promise to clear pension and gratuity arrears.

He added that the combined effect of the payments of arrears and monthly pensions would inject billions of naira into the economy.

“In line with our campaign promises and in order to cushion immediate effect of, and short-term effects of removal of subsidy, I am more than happy and it is my honour to inaugurate this committee,” he said.

“We also know that the recent policy of government removing subsidy on petroleum products will certainly have some impact on our most vulnerable ones.

“Recall that the state government recently inaugurated a palliative committee for the procurement, storage and distribution of palliatives to ameliorate the impact of subsidy removal on the vulnerable in the state.”