Sapele Council Boss Backs State’s Pension Reforms, Assures Transparency and Partnership  

By Endurance Ikanone

The Chairman of Sapele Local Government Area, Hon. Bright Abeke, has reaffirmed his administration’s unwavering commitment to transparency and accountability in managing the pension scheme for local government workers.

Abeke made this known, when he received a delegation from the Bureau of Local Government Pensions, Governor’s Office, led by its Chairman, Mr. Benjamin Igo, and Secretary, Mr. Oyemen Frank A. Tube, during a familiarization visit to the Sapele Local Government Council.

Speaking during the meeting, the council boss commended the State Government for its renewed focus on pension administration under the MORE Agenda of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori. He noted that the visit was timely and would further strengthen coordination between the State Bureau and local councils in ensuring the smooth processing of retirees’ entitlements.

“My administration places high priority on the welfare of retirees and serving workers,” Abeke said. “We are ready to collaborate fully with the Bureau to ensure transparency, accountability, and efficiency in pension management. Our goal is to make sure that every retiree gets what is due to them without unnecessary delay.”

Hon. Abeke also acknowledged the challenges facing pension administration at the grassroots level, assuring that his council will continue to adopt proactive measures to address them in partnership with the State Bureau.

Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of the Bureau, Mr. Benjamin Igo, highlighted the purpose of the visit as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen working relationships with local government councils across the state. He stressed that effective collaboration was key to ensuring the sustainability of the pension scheme and enhancing the welfare of retirees.

“We are engaging all councils to deepen understanding, improve documentation, and eliminate administrative bottlenecks,” Igo explained. “Our focus is to align with the Governor’s vision of a pension system that works efficiently and serves the people with dignity.”

Also speaking, the Bureau’s Secretary, Mr. Oyemen Frank A. Tube, stress the need for regular capacity building and information sharing between the Bureau and local government personnel, noting that this would promote accuracy, prompt payment, and transparency in pension processing.

Present at the meeting were the Secretary to the Local Government, the Head of Personnel Management (HPM), the Head of Protocol, and other senior officials of the council.