The Edo State Government has begun the screening process for the payment of entitlements to 326 former staff of the former Colleges of Agriculture in Iguoriakhi and Agenebode.
This move follows the approval by Governor Godwin Obaseki to settle the pension entitlements of the ex-staff, who were disengaged following a restructuring exercise in 2018.
According to Wellington Osaro Abbe, Permanent Secretary and Chairman of Edo State Pensions Bureau, the payment is a fulfillment of the government’s obligation to the affected staff.
“The restructuring exercise led to the disengagement of 326 staff, creating agitation among them. However, the governor has approved the payment of their pension entitlements, bringing relief to the former workers,” Abbe said.
The payment process will be done in four trenches, with the first batch commencing immediately. The total amount involved is approximately 1.2 billion naira. Abbe explained that the government cannot pay the funds at once due to economic realities, but will split the payment into four batches.
Comrade Paul Ogbebor, an ex-staff member of the institution, praised Governor Obaseki for keeping his promise, stating that the payment will bring relief to the former workers. The screening exercise will be conducted in two phases, with the first phase focusing on staff from Iguoriakhi and the second phase on staff from Agenebode.
