Lagos claims payment of N22bn as pensions, gratuity in 12 months

Lagos State government yesterday said it has paid about twenty two billion Naira as pensions and gratuity in the last 12 months.Commissioner for Establishment, Training and Pensions, Akintola Benson, revealed this while giving account of his ministry’s activities, at the on-going 2018 ministerial press briefing of the Lagos State Government, meant to mark the third anniversary of governor Ambode.

Giving a breakdown of the payment, Oke said from May 2017 to date, contributions by employee and that of the employer credited into the Retirement Savings Account is N9.56B while another N9.3B was paid as terminal entitlements of 2466 retirees. He added that within the last one year also, Civil Service Pensions Office, Teachers Establishment and Pensions and Judiciary Service Commission paid N3.2 billion as pension.

Speaking on pension deduction and remittance, he said there have been regular deductions of 7.5 per cent of monthly basic salary, rent and housing allowances from the salaries of staff and corresponding 7.5 per cent by the state government into the Retirement Savings Accounts maintained by their appointed Pension Fund Administrators.

When asked why the state government has not complied with the pension administration policy, which increased the contribution of employers to 10 per cent and that of the employee to 8 per cent, he declined comment, evading the question and abruptly brought the press briefing to a close.