LASG to conduct pensioners verification

 

By Kayode Olopade 

The Lagos State Government has announced the conclusion of plans to conduct an audit/verification exercise of all pensioners of its Parastatals, Agencies and government-owned companies imbued with independent powers to recruit within the Civil Service structure.

Permanent Secretary, Parastatals Monitoring Office, Adetutu Ososanya, stated this at the ongoing Ministerial Press briefing held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Center, Alausa Ikeja on Thursday, adding that the exercise is in line with the mandate of her office

She clarified that the exercise would  involve the collection of background data and on-the spot and online verification of pensioners to ensure transparency.

Noting that all 102 Lagos parastatals, agencies and government organisations had become role models to counterparts in other stated across the country, Ososanya stayed that PMO embarks on periodic evaluation of the agencies and Parastatals to determine income and revenue targets performance. This, he said, is done in the light of  approved budgets and is meant to ascertain Key Performance Indicators to drive better service delivery.

The permanent secretary in her speech during the briefing also said the planned exercise was in line with the mandate of her Office regarding Pensions and Gratuity Management and Administration. She said it would involve the collection of background data and on the spot and online verification of pensioners to ensure transparency.

She restated the commitment to work collaboratively with Lagos State Pension Commission and the Ministry of Establishments and training to ensure synergy and seamless execution across board on the proposed pilot verification of pensioners in the one hundred and two Parastatals, Agencies and government-owned companies in the state.

She also said the office as part of its oversight functions, had been visiting agencies to monitor the execution of projects, promote transparency in governance, make recommendations to the state government to make informed decisions, planned to expand its horizon by accommodating indigenous languages to sensitize people at the grassroots, local communities and stakeholders in line with the THEMES Plus Agenda.

While stating that the major assignment of her office is to ensure the viability of the agencies and parastatals under it, Ososanya explained that the PMO do have Parastatals  Revenue Generating  Meeting (PARGEM) and the platform was created to provide a platform for close monitoring of activities of revenue generating Parastatals in a bid to identify and proffer solutions to issues hindering the generation of revenue in the state with the objectives of getting first hand information on revenue generated.

She added that PARGEM meetings are held regularly to proffer collective solutions to agencies and Parastatals, identify non-performing Parastatals and improve processes, also to promote transparency in governance and assist the governor to make informed decisions.

On sanctioning the Parastatals or agencies, she said it is not in the character of her office to sanction Parastatals and agencies, but to identify the challenges they are facing and do a follow-up to ensure the challenges are overcome.

Ososanya stated that in order for the public to be conversant with the activities and roles of the agencies/Parastatals, it embarked on airing their activities in local languages on radio stations and the public also has opportunities to ask questions about their activities.

The Permanent Secretary said the PMO also partnered with the State Valuation Office to determine the value of public assets in the state that attract investments and enhance revenue generation.

In her vote of thanks, the Director, Administration and Human resources, Folasade Salako, commended the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his Deputy, Obafemi Hamzat and the Media for their dedication and steadfastness assuring that the Office would not relent in its efforts in achieving the best for Lagos state.