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Last Updated: Monday, November 15th, 2004 HOME | Previous Page
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N107m Lagos teachers� pension fund missing
By Fabian Ozor
Senior Correspondent, Lagos
The disappearance of N107 million meant for the payment of retired teachers in Lagos State has remained a puzzle
to the pensioners and those concerned.
It was learnt that the Federal Government paid the amount into the coffers of the state government, but soon after
the money could not be found.
Efforts to trace the whereabouts of the money failed because none of the government officials was ready to comment
on the issue.
At the ministry of education, Alausa, Ikeja, the Public Relations Officer, Mr. Lanre Bajulaiye, referred Daily
Independent to the Staff Pension Department, Block 17, where a lady who claims to be the secretary to the acting
permanent secretary, again referred him to the Post Primary School Teaching Service Commission (PPTESCOM), saying
the agency is responsible for everything concerning teachers.
The PRO of PPTESCOM, Mr. Soji Grilo, admitted that the Federal Government paid the money to the state but that
it is the staff pension department that should be responsible for the money since it has not been transferred to
the commission.
He added that it is the responsibility of the staff pension department to order for the payment of the money after
transferring it to the commission�s purse. He said there was never a directive or money made available to the commission.
The executive of Teachers Pensioners Association of Nigeria in the state has petitioned the National Assembly seeking
its intervention to enable them get their pension.
In a Save Our Soul (SOS) letter to the chairman finance committee of the House of Representatives, the association
appealed to the law makers to prevail on the Lagos State government to pay them the money.
The letter which was signed by nine members of the association including its chairman Mr. J.O. Alaba and General
Secretary, J.O. Olatuniyi. They said the former Permanent Secretary in the state Ministry of Establishment, Mrs.
O.O.T. Benson, acknowledged receipt of the money.
They said Benson asked each pensioner to fill a claim form in order to collect the money within two weeks, adding
that they filled the form but up to the time of the SOS letter, no money had been paid to them.
Benson has since retired from service.
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