The Ondo State Government on Monday commenced the physical verification and production of digital identification cards for all pensioners across the 18 local government areas of the state.
The exercise, organised by the Local Government Pension Transitional Department, was flagged off by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Union Matters and Special Duties, Mr. Bola Taiwo, at Igbara-Oke in Ifedore Local Government Area.
Taiwo explained that the verification and issuance of digital ID cards for local government pensioners would support the state’s efforts to clear outstanding gratuities through the periodic and structured release of funds.
He stressed that the exercise was not designed to victimise or witch-hunt pensioners, but rather to update the payroll, correct irregularities, and enhance the accuracy of pension records.
“After this verification, the government will be able to determine the actual number of retirees in the local government system. At the moment, we do not have reliable data. Without accurate figures, proper planning is impossible,” Taiwo said.
He noted that although the state had begun gratuity payments starting from 2010, inconsistencies in the number of pensioners had raised concerns. “We started from 2010, then 2011 and 2012. Now we are in 2013. But for 2013 alone, we have about 3,500 retirees, and we’ve paid around ₦1.7 billion. This highlights the urgent need for accurate data,” he said.
Taiwo also urged pensioners not to hesitate to submit their Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs), assuring them that the information would be used solely to ensure seamless payments of entitlements.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the department, Dr. Mercy Femi-Idris, said the exercise would help protect pensioners from harassment, identity theft, and fraud.
She described the digital ID as a tool to facilitate the identification of legitimate pensioners and streamline the process of benefits disbursement.
“As you know, Mr. Governor has restored hope to our senior citizens through regular pension payments and the bulk clearance of gratuities. This initiative merges two key objectives: verifying pensioners and producing ID cards for those on our payroll. The government’s plans for bulk gratuity payments to pensioners and their next of kin have been hampered by the lack of reliable data. However, we are making steady progress in addressing these challenges,” she stated.
Some of the pensioners welcomed the initiative. Mr. Oluwatobi Omojola commended the department, expressing optimism that the exercise would ease access to their benefits. Mr. Adejumo Samuel-Ojo also lauded the state government for its efforts to clear outstanding gratuities.
