FROM SAMSON ALFA, Minna
Niger State pensioners have urged Governor Umar Bago to, as a matter of urgency, resume the payment of retirement benefits abandoned over a year ago.
They alleged that Bago had promised to allocate N25 billion to retired civil servants in the state and local government, but so far only N6.5 billion has been released since he assumed office.
They alleged that lack of payment of their entitlements has affected them, as they cannot cater for their families, particularly health and children’s school fees.
The pensioners, who spoke through Mr Steven Daniel Zita said their present circumstance is pitiful and urged Governor Bago to resume the payment of their benefits without further delay.
The coalition of five fora of Niger State pensioners include the Association of Head of Service & Permanent Secretaries Forum, Directors Forum, Concerned Citizens Forum, Association of Local Government Retirees, as well as Pressure Group.
Zita noted that the meeting was aimed at briefing pensioners on the prevailing circumstances surrounding the stoppage of the payment of their entitlements by the state government.
“We are aware that Bago had promised that N25 billion will be set aside to clear the backlog of gratuity, but government was only able to release the first tranche of N10 billion out of which N6.5 billion was paid to pensioners.
“Regrettably, since March 2024, the payment has stopped and government did not deem it fit to notify us”.
According to Zita, we engaged stakeholders and traditional rulers to prevail on the governor, we also met him personally, but he has not responded, we don’t know our offence.
He lamented the daily death of pensioners in the state. “With our old age, when your expectations are not forthcoming, you have money somewhere and you don’t have access to it, it is more painful. The governor should forgive if any one of us have done anything wrong to him.”
He, however, thanked Governor Bago for the timely enrollment of pensioners into the Niger State Contributory Health Care Agency, NICARE, free of charge.
AljazirahNigeria reports that some pensioners are demanding increase in their monthly payment. “Some of us are still paid our monthly entitlement of N5,000 monthly which calls for urgent review to enable us cope with the present economic realities in the country.”
