- Enugu State identifies 2,640 ghost and deceased pensioners on payroll, highlighting efforts to address pension irregularities and improve transparency
- The state government has begun paying pensions to over 7,000 verified retirees, disbursing nearly half a billion naira in July
The Enugu State Government has uncovered 2,640 ghost and deceased pensioners still listed on its payroll following a recent verification process. Professor Chidiebere Onyia, the Secretary to the State Government, revealed this development on Sunday, highlighting the ongoing efforts to address pension irregularities.
The Local Government Pensioners Biometric Verification Committee carried out the verification process. As a result, the state has begun paying pensions to over 7,000 local government retirees as part of Governor Peter Mbah’s initiative to clear outstanding pensions and gratuities.
Prof. Onyia noted that nearly half a billion naira was disbursed in July to cover the pensions of 989 newly verified retirees who had not been previously included in the pension scheme.
He also pointed out that the Local Government Pensions Board had been paying pensions to 8,760 retirees as of April 2024, a figure significantly higher than the 7,109 pensioners verified during the recent checks.
The state government is committed to eliminating all pension arrears and reforming the pension system to prevent corruption and ensure transparency in future payments.