Ekiti State Government has assured that more indigent elderly citizens will be accommodated into the existing list of beneficiaries of its social Security Scheme.
State Commissioner for Labour, Productivity and Human Capital Development, Mr. Apalara Wole-Adewumi gave the assurance while monitoring the June, 2012 payment of stipend to beneficiaries of the scheme across the 16 Local Government Areas of the State.
Mr. Wole-Adewumi stressed that the introduction of the scheme was a product of the vast experience of the governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi outside the shores of the African continent, adding that the scheme has become the envy of other states and the Federal Government.
He advised the people to discountenance the insinuation that the scheme was being funded by the Federal Government, saying that no other state in the country is presently executing the scheme.
At Ise Ekiti and Ilupeju Ekiti, where the Commissioner was represented by the Director for Social Security Scheme, Mrs. Olabisi Fatoba, Mr. Wole-Adewumi affirmed that the scheme was designed to outlive the present administration with the passage and assenting the bill establishing the scheme.
At Ipole-Iloro, Ikogosi and Erijiyan where the Commissioner personally supervised the payment, some beneficiaries that were considered not qualified based on age falsification were disqualified.
He commended the officials saddled with the payment for a job well-done while calling on them to be more careful in their dealings with the people.
In all the places visited, encomiums were showered on the governor for initiating the welfare scheme, promising to support his administration with prayers.
Some of the beneficiaries who could not come to the payment centres personally were visited at home for payment, while some who were brought on commercial motorcycle known as Okada and vehicles were paid directly in the vehicles that brought them.
Last modified: July 19, 2012