The National Pension Commission, PenCom, has described Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State as the most worker-friendly governor in Nigeria.
PenCom said the governor has demonstrated uncommon commitment to workers’ welfare and retirement security.
The commendation was given on Thursday when the commission paid a courtesy visit to Government House, Yenagoa.
The delegation was led by the Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Charles Emukowhate, who represented the Director-General, Ms. Omolola Oloworaran.
Emukowhate said the Diri administration has undertaken bold pension reforms, including the amendment of the State Pension Law in December 2022 to align with the Pension Reform Act, establishment of pension institutions, and appointment of a substantive head of the State Pensions Board in February 2026.
He said the procurement of employer codes for 108 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) also shows the state’s readiness for full migration to the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
“Not many governors are committed to these reforms. Bayelsa is well positioned to become one of the leading states in CPS implementation. This is easily the most worker-centric administration in Nigeria,” Emukowhate said.
He said the visit was to deepen collaboration and support the state’s transition to CPS, noting that pension reform is a social protection tool that guarantees dignity for workers after service.
He urged the state to commence immediate enrollment of workers with Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs), ensure regular remittance of contributions, engage qualified actuaries to determine accrued rights, create sustainable funding and provide group life insurance for workers.
He also commended President Bola Tinubu for his commitment to settling federal pension liabilities.
In his response, Governor Diri said his administration prioritized workers and retirees from inception, recalling that it inherited pension and gratuity arrears dating back to 2007 when it assumed office in 2020.
He disclosed that his administration has paid over N20 billion in gratuities to state retirees and supported local councils to clear their own liabilities.
“For us, it is a duty we must continue to discharge. We want to create a system where a retiree does not need to lobby anyone to get what is due to him,” Diri said.
He said the state has engaged consultants, reviewed actuarial reports and commenced processes for determination of accrued liabilities and enrollment for CPS, assuring of readiness to work with PenCom, NLC, TUC and other stakeholders for transparent implementation.
