Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun has established two 25-member Pension Funds Management Committees, one each for state and local government pensions.
This development comes as striking workers in the state have suspended their eight-day industrial action.
This is contained in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Lekan Adediran, emailed to Persecondnews.
Inaugurating the committees at the Governor’s Office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta on Tuesday, Abiodun noted that his administration held extensive meetings with organized labor and other key stakeholders.
These discussions culminated in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, which outlines a clear and structured framework for implementing the Contributory Pension Scheme in Ogun State.
The committees are saddled with the responsibility of providing professional and administrative advice on the operations of the Contributory Pension Scheme; giving updates and getting reports on the implementation of the Contributory Pension Scheme as it affects relevant stakeholders and appraising/assessing regulations and guidelines on the Contributory Pension Scheme issued by the National Pension Commission (PENCOM) for consideration and implementation.
Other functions of the Committees are, recommending and constituting sub – committee(s) that would assist in the operations of the Contributory Pension Scheme in the state; overseeing compliance with PENCOM regulations and reporting standards as well as monitoring the performance of the Pension Fund Administrators (PFA) and Pension Fund Custodians (PFC).
Equally, the Committees are to ensure timely remittance of employer and employee contributions; review reports from the PFAs and PFCs; engage with external auditors, actuaries, and legal counsel where necessary; facilitate employee understanding of pension benefits and advising management on pension-related risks and opportunities.
The old pension scheme, the governor said, was noted for bad debts, extensive delays, unpredictable, accumulated massive liabilities and depended entirely on government budget and annual releases, adding that his administration is out to give and implement an enduring pension the state workers would be proud of.
He said: “This Committees comprise of the representatives of the State Bureau of Pensions and the Bureau of Local Government Pensions and constituted in full compliance with section 19, paragraph 2 of the Ogun State Pension Reform Law of 2006.and in furtherance of the agreement reach with the organized labour through the recently signed Memorandum of Action.
“My administration is committed to the full and transparent implementation of the Contributory Pension Scheme in the state.
“Dear members of the State Pension Management Committees, the task before you is enormous yet noble as you are the custodians of hopes and futures of thousands of the hard working public servants both in the State and local levels. Workers who have laboured for the state deserve peace of mind in retirement.”
While calling on the committee members to be dedicated to the assignment before them, the governor urged them to use best practices and be accountable and transparent in all their dealings, emphasising that pension reforms are not acts of charity, but legal, moral and are of economic necessities.
Abiodun used the occasion to appreciate the labour leaders for suspending the week long strike embarked by workers, saying the decision is not only a testament to their patriotism, but a reflection of their faith in dialogue to achieving sustainable and enduring industrial harmony in the State.
“This administration does not regard labour as an adversary but a critical partner in progress particularly in the successful implementation of our Building our Future Together Agenda. We have consistently prioritized the welfare of our workforce and pensioners because a motivated workforce is an engine for good government,” Governor Abiodun said.
Responding, Chairman of the Local Government Pensions Committee, Engr. Olufisan Osiyale, while thanking the governor for the confidence reposed in them, acknowledged the enormous tasks before members but assured that with the cooperation of all stakeholders, the Committees would deliver on their mandate.
The State Pensions Committee is headed by Mrs. Arinola Adetayo, while Engr. Olufisan Osiyale heads the local government Committee.
Photo
L-R: State Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, Hameed Benco; Permanent Secretary, Bureau of Local Government Pensions and Chairman, Pension Fund Management Committee (Local Government Pensions), Olufisan Osiyale; Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Dapo Okubadejo; Head of Service, Mr. Kehinde Onasanya; Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun; Secretary to the Ogun State Government, Mr. Tokunbo Talabi; Permanent Secretary, Bureau of State Pensions and Chairman, Pension Fund Management Committee (State), Mrs. Arinola Adetayo;Labour Leaders
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