Relief for Retirees as Kwara Begins Verification of Gratuity Records
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Relief for Retirees as Kwara Begins Verification of Gratuity Records
The Kwara State Government has constituted two nonpartisan technical committees to verify existing gratuity records and ensure transparent payment of pensioners based on their retirement dates.
INCNews247 reports that, the committees, inaugurated at both the state and local government levels, comprise technocrats, labour leaders, and representatives of retired workers.
A statement by the Press Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Babatunde Toyin Abdulrasheed, on Friday said the move was aimed at sanitising the gratuity payment process and ensuring fairness in the disbursement of pension entitlements.
The Auditor-General of the State chairs the state-level committee, while the Auditor-General for Local Governments leads the local government team.
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Members of the committees include representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), Association of Retired Permanent Secretaries, Retired Civil Servants’ Association, and certified accountants from both ICAN and ANAN.
Mrs Iyabo Adebayo serves as secretary for the state committee, while Mrs Amina Ahmed performs the same role at the local government level.
According to the Commissioner for Finance, Dr Hauwa Nuru, the initiative is part of government’s effort to promote transparency and accountability in the management of pension and gratuity funds.
“The primary objective of the committees is to ensure accurate and transparent compilation of outstanding state and local government gratuities for eligible pensioners in readiness for automated bank transfer payments,” Nuru said.
She explained that the committees would verify records from the Pension Board, confirm the qualification of all pensioners through the PSN/Pension Number, KWSSRA SSID database and National Identification Number (NIN), and reconcile all figures against available government documents.
The committees are also mandated to prioritise payments chronologically, beginning from the oldest outstanding year, and ensure accountability and audit readiness in all documentation.
Dr Nuru said the step would help clean up inconsistencies in existing records and pave the way for a more efficient and transparent payment system for retirees across the state.
