The Zamfara State Local Government Service Commission, in collaboration with Polistrat Consulting Service Ltd, conducted a three-day training workshop for 56 Deputy Directors of Administration, Staff Officers, Pension Officers, and Accountant Salary on the Initiative Mechanism for timely processing of retirement benefits across the fourteen Local Government Areas of the state.
According to the statement by Comrade Jamilu Isah Gusau, Public Relations Officer (PRO), Zamfara State Local Government Services Commission, the training workshop, themed "Initiative Mechanism for timely processing of retirement benefits, " aimed is to highlighted very retiring officers deserves to received his or her legitimate pension and gratuity promptly, with dignity and without avoidable administrative difficulties.
Declaring the workshop open at a ceremony held at the commission multipurpose Hall in Gusau, the State Capital, the Executive Chairman of the commission, Alhaji Aminu Aliyu Mafara, who was represented by the Permanent Commissioner 5, Hon. Lawal Yusuf Anka, explained that it is very timely and important because retirement is a significant stage in the life of every public servant. After many years of dedicated service to government and society, every retiring officer deserves to receive his or her legitimate pension and gratuity promptly, with dignity and without avoidable administrative difficulties.
He further said the responsibility requires more than policies. It requires accurate records, effective coordination, proper documentation, timely verification and clear responsibility at every stage of the process.
Mafara also said that the participants play critical roles in ensuring that retirement records are properly prepared, verified and processed, adding that the workshop is not simply another training programme, but an opportunity to identify the challenges affecting timely payment of retirement benefits and develop practical solutions that can be implemented across fourteen Local Government Councils.
He encouraged the participants of every Local Government Council to ensure early preparation for retirement, regularly update personnel records, identify officers approaching retirement well in advance, and ensure that necessary documentation is completed before the actual retirement date.
We must also improve coordination among the Local Government Councils, Commission, LGA Audit, pension and accounting offices, and other relevant institutions. Every stage of the process should have a clearly defined responsibility, so that files do not remain unattended because responsibility is unclear.
According to him, there is also a need to improve record-management systems, including the appropriate use of digital records, proper monitoring of pending cases, and regular follow-up of retirement files. Where there are delays, the reason should be clearly identified and addressed.
Aminu Aliyu further said that "in the process of retiring benefits promptly, we are not merely processing documents; we are protecting the dignity and welfare of those who have served our state and our communities."
The Executive Chairman applauded Governor Dauda Lawal for addressing pension and gratuity obligations and giving attention to the welfare of retired workers in Zamfara State.
He further said that the progress made in addressing inherited gratuity obligations places an additional responsibility on all of us as administrators to ensure that the administrative processes supporting these efforts are efficient, transparent, accountable and sustainable, so that eligible retirees can receive their entitlements without unnecessary delays.
In his remarks, the Acting Secretary of the Commission, Alhaji Muktar Sani Bukkuyum, said that the workshop provides an opportunity for participants drawn from the fourteen Local Government Councils to improve their knowledge,
exchange experiences and identify practical ways of addressing the
challenges associated with the processing of retirement benefits.
He encouraged all participants to contribute meaningfully and ensure that the knowledge acquired is effectively applied in their respective councils.
In his goodwill message, the Managing Director of Polistrat Consulting Services Ltd, Comrade Mansur Abubakar Mni, urged all participants to take full advantage of the workshop, Share experiences, identify the challenges faced in their respective councils, learn from one another and, most importantly, develop practical mechanisms that can improve the system.
He expressed that the participants work together to ensure that no public servant who has faithfully served the government is subjected to unnecessary hardship in accessing his or her legitimate retirement benefits.
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