… Assures of Prompt Payment of Retirement Benefits
The Lagos State Head of Service, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola, has urged all the public servants in the State to ensure they follow due process and keep comprehensive records of their documents while in service to avoid delay in the processing and payment of their retirement benefits.
The HoS disclosed this in his address during a webinar organised by the government to sensitise public servants on the newly Revised Lagos State Public Service Handbook, which was produced by the Post Service Directorate of the Public Service Department of the Office of the Head of Service, adding that retiring officers should plan ahead for additional income generation after active service.
Muri-Okunola, who spoke through the Permanent Secretary, Public Service Office, Mr. Samson Ajibade, stated that extant rules and regulations in the Lagos State Public Service provide that certain processes and procedures must be followed for retirement and the processing of the retirement benefits, maintaining that retiring officers are required to give six months’ notice in order to benefit from the one-month pre-retirement workshops.
He affirmed that the Lagos State Public Service Retirement Handbook is comprehensive, covering all the areas of retirement procedures, processing of retirement benefits and other relevant aspects of post-retirement life such as healthy living in retirement and the administration of retirees’ estate in the event of death.
“The Handbook provides information for intending retirees on how to utilise their retirement benefits as well as live a blissful post-service life”, the HoS said.
Also speaking at the event, a representative of the Lagos State Civil Service Commission and Director of Admin and Human Resource (Discipline and Exit), Mrs. Grace Olaopin, urged all the public servants to keep their records and ensure periodic updates in order to facilitate the prompt processing of retirement benefits.
Speaking on behalf of the Lagos State Pension Commission (LASPEC), the Director, Special Projects, Mr. Yusuf Olujobi, noted that all employees of the State Government are expected to sign up and open retirement savings accounts (RSA) with any of the 17 approved Pension Funds Administrators (PFAs).
He also charged everyone to take the records process more important as it will fast-track their retirement benefits as they exit the service.
The Head, Central Records Unit, Office of Establishments and Training, Mr. Olakunle Aladejana, implored all Lagos State civil servants to ensure that they have their establishment numbers to aid their documentation and avail them relevant information from the State Government while leaving the service.
