Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has approved the immediate payment of death benefits to the families of teachers killed in the recent abduction incident in Oriire Local Government Area of the state.

The Chairman of the Oyo State Local Government Staff Pension Board, Hon Akeem Ademola Ige, disclosed this while receiving officials of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos, who visited the state for an on-the-spot assessment of local government administrative policies and strategic development initiatives.

Ige said the payment would be made seamlessly without unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles or stress for the families of the deceased teachers.

“Governor Seyi Makinde has approved the immediate payment of death benefits to the slain Oriire teachers. The payment will be seamless without any stress for the family members of the deceased teachers,” he said.

The NIPSS team, during the assessment at the State Secretariat, Ibadan, commended the Oyo State Government for its pension administration and other local government policies under the Makinde administration.

The team also expressed satisfaction with what it described as best practices observed in the administration of the Oyo State Local Government Staff Pension Board.

Speaking during the assessment, the team leader, Prof Ibrahim Choji, said the exercise was aimed at assessing policies, strategies and systems across local governments to identify practices that could be recommended for adoption at the national level.

Choji said NIPSS was assessing local government policies and systems across states to develop recommendations and implementation strategies for the Presidency, adding that outstanding states or agencies would be recognised in December.

Receiving the delegation on behalf of the state government, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Musibau Babatunde, highlighted some of the achievements of the Makinde administration, including recruitment into the local government service, an integrated administrative system, improved functionality of local governments and provision of equipment for primary healthcare centres.

Ige also disclosed that the administration had paid N42 billion in gratuities and death benefits to retired and deceased pensioners, covering inherited backlogs and obligations accrued under the present administration.

According to him, the monthly allocation of the Local Government Staff Pension Board increased from N250 million to N3 billion, while total monthly pension payments to retired local government pensioners between 2019 and 2026 exceeded N103 billion.

He further listed other interventions, including the payment of N15,000 wage award, N10,000 transport support and N50,000 Christmas bonus to pensioners.

The National Coordinator of the assessment programme, Mr Yoni Charles, said he was impressed by the findings of the team, while the Acting Head of Local Government Administration of the board, Alhaji Musibau Ladele, said the assessment would help strengthen administrative excellence, accountability and effective service delivery within Nigeria’s local government system.

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has approved the immediate payment of death benefits to the families of teachers killed in the recent abduction incident in Oriire Local Government Area of the state.

The Chairman of the Oyo State Local Government Staff Pension Board, Hon Akeem Ademola Ige, disclosed this while receiving officials of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos, who visited the state for an on-the-spot assessment of local government administrative policies and strategic development initiatives.

Ige said the payment would be made seamlessly without unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles or stress for the families of the deceased teachers.

“Governor Seyi Makinde has approved the immediate payment of death benefits to the slain Oriire teachers. The payment will be seamless without any stress for the family members of the deceased teachers,” he said.

The NIPSS team, during the assessment at the State Secretariat, Ibadan, commended the Oyo State Government for its pension administration and other local government policies under the Makinde administration.

The team also expressed satisfaction with what it described as best practices observed in the administration of the Oyo State Local Government Staff Pension Board.

Speaking during the assessment, the team leader, Prof Ibrahim Choji, said the exercise was aimed at assessing policies, strategies and systems across local governments to identify practices that could be recommended for adoption at the national level.

Choji said NIPSS was assessing local government policies and systems across states to develop recommendations and implementation strategies for the Presidency, adding that outstanding states or agencies would be recognised in December.

Receiving the delegation on behalf of the state government, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Musibau Babatunde, highlighted some of the achievements of the Makinde administration, including recruitment into the local government service, an integrated administrative system, improved functionality of local governments and provision of equipment for primary healthcare centres.

Ige also disclosed that the administration had paid N42 billion in gratuities and death benefits to retired and deceased pensioners, covering inherited backlogs and obligations accrued under the present administration.

According to him, the monthly allocation of the Local Government Staff Pension Board increased from N250 million to N3 billion, while total monthly pension payments to retired local government pensioners between 2019 and 2026 exceeded N103 billion.

He further listed other interventions, including the payment of N15,000 wage award, N10,000 transport support and N50,000 Christmas bonus to pensioners.

The National Coordinator of the assessment programme, Mr Yoni Charles, said he was impressed by the findings of the team, while the Acting Head of Local Government Administration of the board, Alhaji Musibau Ladele, said the assessment would help strengthen administrative excellence, accountability and effective service delivery within Nigeria’s local government system.