The Enugu State Government has made significant strides in financial management and employment initiatives, demonstrating a commitment to both transparency and development.
Pension Payments and Ghost Worker Identification
The state government has uncovered and removed 2,640 ghost and deceased pensioners from its payroll, marking a critical step towards financial prudence. In a move to fulfill Governor Peter Mbah’s promise, the state has commenced the payment of pensions to local government retirees, addressing a backlog inherited from previous administrations.
Chidiebere Onyia, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), highlighted that more than 7,000 pensioners have received their payments following the biometric verification exercise conducted by the Local Government Pensioners Biometric Verification Committee. In July alone, 7,109 pensioners were paid nearly half a billion naira. This figure includes 989 newly recognized retirees who had not been previously included in the pension scheme, having retired between April 2022 and April 2024.
Onyia expressed concern over the fraudulent activities within the pension system. He pointed out that, as of April 2024, the state was paying pensions to over 8,760 retirees, a number significantly higher than the 7,109 verified by the recent audit.
Revenue Generation Milestone
The Enugu State Internal Revenue Service (ESIRS) announced a significant achievement, reporting that the state generated over N35.9 billion in revenue during the first seven months of 2024. Emmanuel Nnamani, the Chairman of the ESIRS, attributed this financial success to the activation of various legally approved tax platforms, including e-ticket sales, Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) collections, land use charges, and consumption taxes. Nnamani also noted efforts to block leakages in tax administration, which have contributed to the substantial revenue growth. He assured that Governor Mbah is determined to continue enhancing the state’s internally generated revenue.
Employment and Skills Assessment
In addition to financial reforms, the state government has commenced a comprehensive assessment of 26,000 applicants vying for 6,000 job positions in the state’s smart schools. This computer-based assessment is being conducted simultaneously at the Enugu State College of Education Technical and the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu.
However, the assessment process revealed a significant skills gap among the applicants. Many teachers struggled to use basic computer tools such as the mouse or to log in for their tests, despite being allotted 45 minutes for the exam. This challenge underscores a pressing need for improved digital literacy training, particularly as the state continues to expand its smart school initiatives.
These developments reflect Enugu State’s commitment to financial transparency, revenue generation, and educational advancement, all of which are crucial for sustainable growth and development.
