Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, has assured pensioners both at the state and local government levels of getting their entitlements as at when due.

He gave the assurance while speaking during a courtesy call yesterday by members of the National Pensions Commission and Delta State Bureau of Pensions in Asaba.

Governor Okowa, represented by the Chief of Staff, Directorate of Government House and Protocol, Hon. Tam Brisibe, said that the state government takes the affairs of the public servants very seriously and would always place their welfare high as a robust and functional civil service was the engine room of governance.

According to him “The state government takes very seriously the affairs of civil servants in the state and our agenda is to ensure that we have a robust and functioning civil service and to make sure that pensioners who have served government will be taken care of by the time of their retirement.”

“Despite the challenges the nation has faced in meeting with the obligations of paying pensioners our administration will continue to ensure that our pensioners both at the state and local government levels receive their entitlements as at when due and hopefully we will get to a level where no pensioner will be owed and will not go through any stress to receive their benefits which usually leads to them queuing for long periods of time,” the governor said.

He expressed satisfaction on the cordial relationship established between the National Pension Commission and the State Bureau of Pensions adding that more efforts will be done by the state government to cater to the welfare of pensioners in the state.

Earlier the Director General, National Pension Commission, Mrs. Chinelo Anohu Amazu represented by the Commissioner [Inspectorate] Professor Mohammed Kaoje Abubakar commended Delta State on its implementation of the 100% contribution into the pension scheme saying: “Delta State has made considerable progress in its participation in the pension scheme.”

•Photo shows Governor Okowa.