The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode has approved the release of N1.5billion intervention fund for the payment of outstanding gratuities and pension arrears of local government retirees in the state.
Mr. Akintola Benson Oke, the State Commissioner for Establishment, Training and Pension, who disclosed this at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa Ikeja during the 2016 ministerial press briefing of the Lagos State Government to commemorate the first year anniversary of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration in Lagos State, added that the government has also approved the sum of N1.7billion being the balance of 142% pension arrears to the same categories of retirees.
According to him, “The payment of backlog of outstanding entitlements of retirees has been a major challenge of the Local Government Commission and the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) due to the fact that the 5% statutory funding provision was a far cry from the liabilities that has accumulated. Therefore, the order from the Governor that the state’s fund be utilize to offset this backlog, is a welcome development.”
He listed parastatals that would benefit from the payment to include: Lagos Water Corporation, Radio Lagos/Eko F.M, Lagos Television, Lagos State Printing Corporation, Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED) as well as the Centre for Rural Development (CERUD).
Others are: Lagos State Sports Commission, Lagos State Agricultural Input and Supply Agency, Lagos State Council for Arts & Culture and Lagos State Agricultural Development Authority.
The Commissioner however noted that the payment to the affected pensioners would be effected as soon as the verification exercise is concluded.
Similarly, Mr. Oke disclosed that since the commencement of the Retirement Benefit Bond Certificate Presentation in 2010, the State Government has paid accrued pension rights of about N48.08billion to more than 10,000 retirees/ deceased/withdrawn staff, stressing that the Ministry has also been able to maintain the trend of paying terminal entitlements of retired employees monthly since it started in August, 2015.
He also hinted that the regular deduction of 7.5% from staff’s salaries and the corresponding 7.5% by the State Government into the Retirement Savings Accounts (RSA) of Staff have cumulatively risen to N64billion approximately since inception of the scheme in 2007.
In another development, Mr. Bode Agoro, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Lands Bureau, said that the Lagos State Government has generated over N8billion from land matters between May 2015 and March 2016 while Gov. Ambode has signed 5,625 Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) within the same period.
Mr. Agoro made this known at the ongoing 2016 ministerial press briefing
He said the feat was borne out of the state government’s strong will, immense capacity for hard work and desire to escalate and accelerate the process of issuing land titles.
According to him, the acceleration of the titling process was necessitated by the fact that a high number of property owners in the state have realized the importance of having titles for their lands, especially the business community, as registered land titles are major documents needed as collateral for obtaining facilities from financial institutions.
In addition, Agoro pointed out that the Directorate of Land Services in the Bureau has also introduced a new form IC which incorporates the passport photograph of the purchaser which will also be affixed on the deeds, emphasizing that only one deed will be released to the applicant in line with what obtains with the processing of C of O.
On the issue of land grabbers popularly known as ‘Ajagungbale/Omoonile,’ Mr. Agoro lamented that the hoodlums have constituted themselves into nuisance to the peace and socio-economic activities of the state with regards to land transactions, especially as it relates to allottees of Government land.
He disclosed that as part of efforts to curb the nefarious activities of these miscreants, the legislative arm of Government has proposed a Bill to prohibit forcible entry and occupation of landed properties, violent and fraudulent conduct in relation to landed properties in Lagos State and for connected purposes.
The Bill, which is expected to become a Law and take effect in the third quarter of 2016, will criminalise the activities of land grabbers with prison terms ranging from 2-10 years upon conviction.
