The Federal Government has assured workers disengaged over the last 20 years that they will receive their outstanding entitlements, as it begins a final verification exercise for former workers and beneficiaries in the North-East who were underpaid or did not receive their full allowances and entitlements.
The Director-General of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), Dr Dasuki Arabi, gave the assurance on Tuesday in Gombe during the verification exercise, saying the process was approved by President Bola Tinubu to identify genuine claims and settle remaining complaints. He said no disengaged worker who was entitled to unpaid benefits would be left without payment.
Speaking during the exercise, Arabi said the verification was aimed at identifying all genuine claims and ensuring that those entitled to payment received what was due to them.
“This is the final verification exercise, we want to bring this matter to an end, and ensure that everyone who works and is entitled to payment receives his or her full entitlement,” he said.
Arabi said the BPSR was working with the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, the Auditor-General for the Federation and anti-corruption agencies to verify records and ensure that only genuine beneficiaries were paid.
According to him, more than 99 per cent of the cases brought against the government over unpaid entitlements had been resolved.
He, however, said some claims were still being pursued, including those involving beneficiaries who had died, with their relatives or legal heirs seeking to recover money owed to them.
The BPSR Director-General urged former workers and other affected beneficiaries who had not been paid or were underpaid to come forward and submit their complaints for verification.
Arabi also said some former workers were seeking a review of their pensions, claiming that their retirement benefits did not properly reflect their years of service and the salaries they earned.
Speaking on the issue, Mr Yusuf Adamu, Chairman of Retirees, Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi, said some of the affected workers served for about 22 years.
Adamu said the workers served under different salary structures before moving to a new structure, adding that while some outstanding payments had been made, their pension issues had not been properly resolved.
He said some workers were earning between N200,000 and N300,000 before retirement, but their current pensions did not properly reflect their final salary grades.
Adamu urged the government to review their cases to ensure that their pensions were calculated based on their years of service and the salary structure under which they retired.
