Kwara inaugurates technical panels to verify gratuities, ensure transparent payment to pensioners

Kwara State Government has set up two technical committees made up of technocrats and labour leaders to verify gratuity records at the state and local government levels and ensure that pensioners are paid strictly on a “first retired, first paid” basis.

The move, according to the government, is aimed at sanitising the gratuity system, ensuring accuracy of data, and promoting transparency in the payment of entitlements to retirees.

The eight-member committee for the state gratuities is chaired by the Auditor-General of the State, while the Local Government Auditor-General heads the second committee for council workers.

Members of the panels include representatives of the Retired Permanent Secretaries, Retired Civil Servants Association, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), and certified accountants from both the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN). Mrs. Iyabo Adebayo will serve as secretary for the state committee, while Mrs. Amina Ahmed will serve in the same capacity for the local government committee.

The local government panel also includes representatives of the Retired Local Government Civil Servants Association and the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Hauwa Nuru, in a statement, said the committees are tasked with ensuring “accurate and transparent compilation of outstanding gratuities for eligible pensioners in readiness for automated bank transfer payments.”

Their terms of reference include obtaining detailed yearly schedules of outstanding gratuities from the pension boards, verifying accuracy and completeness of the data, confirming pensioners’ qualifications using PSN/Pension numbers, KWSSRA SSID database, and NIN, as well as reconciling figures against official government records.

The panels are also to prioritise payments chronologically—starting from the oldest outstanding year—subject to available funds, and to ensure full accountability and audit compliance in all documentation and processes.