The Oyo State Government says it will soon begin the payment of the retirement entitlements of primary school teachers and local government workers via e-payment.
A statement issued by Chief Lasisi Ayankojo, Chairman, Oyo State Local Government Staff Pensions Board, in Ibadan on Saturday said that the policy was aimed at checking fraud in the payment of pensions and gratuities.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the state government recently uncovered a N2.6 billion pension fraud in the board.
The interim investigation of the board’s account between September 2010 and March 2011, which exposed the fraud, allegedly indicted 10 civil servants.
Ayankojo said that the e-payment would also help to streamline pension payment, while reducing the troubles usually associated with the payment of pension.
He said that the board had engaged the services of Skye Bank Plc. to facilitate a smooth commencement of the exercise, adding that the bank would undertake a biometric and payroll verification of retired local government workers and primary school teachers.
Ayankojo said that the verification exercise will start on Monday, Aug. 13. (NAN)