Anambra spends N23.3bn on LG pensions, gratuities

BY VINCENT UJUMADU
AWKA—ANAMBRA State Government has spent N23.3 billion on payment of arrears of pensions and gratuities of retired local government workers in the state.

The beneficiaries were those who retired from the 21 local governments from 1999 to 2010.

Details showed that N20.7 billion was for pensions, while N2.6 was for gratuities.

Chairman of Anambra State Local Government Service Commission, LGSC, Sir Godffrey Muotolu, gave the figures during a workshop organized by the state government, in conjunction with Integral Development Consult on pension management under the new Pension Reform Act.

The workshop was attended by heads of various departments and those expected to retire from the service within the next three years.

Muotolu said the workshop was aimed at preparing workers in the local government system on their impending retirement, adding that there should be no reason for workers to be afraid of retirement if they prepared well for it.

“If you do not retire, another opportunity will not open for you,” he told the workers.

He commended Governor Peter Obi for ensuring that retired workers in the state received their pensions and gratuity promptly.