Anambra govt probes unremitted LG workers, teachers’ pension funds

The Anambra State Government says it is investigating the whereabouts of unremitted pension funds for local government workers and primary school teachers in the state.

The state Head of Service, Theodora Igwegbe, said this at a Workshop on Contributory Pension Scheme, organised by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress in Awka on Wednesday.

Mrs Igwegbe said the state government did not suspend the scheme.

She said that all the deductions from local government workers and primary school teachers from July 2014 and 2018 were not remitted to the Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs), which challenged the integrity of the system.

“This was one of the matters I was confronted with when I assumed office and the governor has set up a committee to look into what is going on in respect of workers’ welfare and also discover who is holding the funds.

“I’m assuring you that when the committee finishes this assignment, the truth will be unravelled and the funds will be recovered and returned to PFAs.

“Also, from 2018 to 2022, the government was not paying its counterpart fund, and the governor directed the office of the Accountant-General to start paying the 10 per cent that should be coming from the government to the PFAs.

“The state government is not indebted to any of the PFAs regarding the 10 per cent contributions.

“Where we have issues is in the council and primary schools; hence, the ongoing investigation to find out what happened and where the money is,” she said.

Mrs Igwegbe said there was a need for the Anambra House of Assembly to amend the Pension Reform Law.

“Anambra promulgated its own Pension Law in 2013 and now there are defects.

“Soon, the pension reform law in the state will be reviewed in line with the Federal Law for seamless implementation,” she said.

In a remark, Princewill Onwuka, a pension fund administrator and regional manager at Access Pensions Ltd., said a pension board or commission in Anambra was needed.

“The commission or board will take care of pensions, and it will be a one-stop shop for everything concerning pensions in the state.

“However, Pension Law at the federal level was enacted in 2004 and amended in 2014, the amendment is currently ongoing at the Senate.

“The inputs we make today will be forwarded to the assembly to amend the law and make it a workable instrument.”

Earlier in an address, the state NLC Chairperson, Humphrey Nwafor, said the workshop was organised to help workers understand the issues around the scheme in the state.

(NAN)