By ONYEJE ABUTU-JOEL

Benue has constituted three committees to tackle the problem of pension payments, judgment debts and garnishee orders on government accounts by some pensioners being owed by the previous administration.

A garnishee order Is a legal order issued by a court to require a person (i.e. garnishee) owing money to the defendant to pay his debt to the claimant rather than to the defendant.

Commissioner for Justice and Public Order, Mr Fidelis Mnyim, said this on Tuesday in Makurdi at a meeting between the state government and lawyers representing pensioners in Benue.

The committees are garnishee and judgment debt management committee; legal drafting committee and administration of justice advisory committee.

Inaugurating the committees, the commissioner said they would begin work immediately and submit their reports to Gov. Hyacinth Alia, through the ministry.

Mnyim explained that the setting up of the committees became necessary to prevent pensioners from further approaching the court to garnishee government accounts.

“It is necessary to take this action to resolve issues of judgment debts and garnishee orders on government accounts because monies owed to retirees at state and local governments by the previous administration are huge.

“Both internally generated revenues and federal allocations coming to Benue monthly cannot offset the debts,’’ Mnyim said.

He advised the lawyers to channel their grievances and suggestions to the committees for solutions to the pension payment problems.

The commissioner also urged lawyers to advise their clients to stop distracting the governor through the filing of suits against government, saying that some issues could be settled out of court.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some lawyers, who spoke on behalf of their colleagues, acknowledged the commitment of Gov. Alia to pay pensions and gratuities and urged government to sustain the tempo.

They, however, called on government to quickly work out modalities to pay outstanding pensions to avoid further litigations. (NAN)

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