KANO (North-West, Nigeria) — Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State has settled pension backlog of retirees in the state to the tune of N16 billion.
The settlement was carried out in tranches with phase one of N6 billion, phase two – N5 billion and phase three – N5 billion.
Speaking during the launching of the third phase of disbursement of N5 billion to about 2,000 retirees, Governor Yusuf said the government inherited a huge debt running into N48 billion out of which it settled N16 billion.
The Governor reiterated his administration’s resolve to settle all outstanding pension and gratuity benefits owed to retirees in Kano.
He assured that each retiree would receive their entitlements without delay, emphasizing that their sacrifices and contributions to the state would not be forgotten.
“This administration remains committed to addressing the challenges faced by our retirees. We will continue to prioritize their welfare and ensure that all outstanding benefits are fully paid.
“Every retiree will receive their dues in a timely and transparent manner,” the governor pledged.
He hinted that N846million death benefits were yet to be collected from the previous disbursement made while giving instruction to relevant authorities such as the kano state pension fund trustee, shariah court of appeal and pension union in the state to intensify efforts to identify the families of the deceased.
A representative of President Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Assen Sambe described the gestures by the governor as unprecedented.
He said with the gestures pensioners in the state were now envied by their counterparts from other states while calling on other governors to emulate the Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf.
On his part, the former Chairman, Kano NLC, Kabiru Ado Minjibir went down memory lane of some yesteryears when he led a protest to battle for the unpaid pensions in the state and in the process a pensioner fainted, noting that the reverse is the case with the current dispensation who deem it fit to pay the outstanding of the pensioners without any protest.
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