Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has accused the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Abdullahi Ganduje of worsening social security in Kano State over his failure to priortise the payment of gratuities and death benefits of the state’s retirees in his eight-year tenure.
The governor also expressed concern over the failure of the immediate past administration to pay pensioners for eight years, thereby reducing the Pension Fund Trustees with an outstanding N48 billion.
Yusuf spoke during launch of the third tranche of N5 billion payment of backlog of gratuities and death benefits of retirees in Kano on Thursday.
In a statement released by the governor’s spokesman, Sanusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa, Yusuf sympathised with the state’s pensioners who he said had passed through difficult times and untold hardships during the Ganduje administration.
He said hundreds of retirees had lost their lives while waiting endlessly for their entitlements that were denied for no just reason.
“The perennial neglect by the Ganduje administration to settle pensioners’ entitlements in the last eight years of his government has subjected pensioners to hardship in Kano. This is the biggest social security threat ever witnessed since the creation of Kano State in 1967. Many have lost their lives while waiting endlessly for their gratuities”. Yusuf said.
The governor explained that the release of cumulative sum of N16 billion gratuities to about 6,886 retirees in three tranches was part of his campaign promise to ease the pain of senior citizens who had contributed immensely to public service.
According to him, payment of the backlog gratuities to the lawful beneficiaries is not only an obligation, but a moral right of every leader. He assured the retirees of transparent processes of the payment which they would receive it through electronic system from the government treasury.
Yusuf directed the head of service, Sharia commission and pension fund trustee to intensify search and identify relatives of the deceased pensioners for payment.
“Out of over N48 billion inherited, we commenced settlement process with N6 billion being the 1st tranch to 2,2667 retirees. A few months later we released the second tranche of N5 billion to 2,216 pensioners. Today, I am overwhelmed with joy to witness the launch of the 3rd trench of N5 billion for 2,000 beneficiaries.
“We are not paying the pensioners in cash because we don’t have confidence in the cash payment, and we would not allow the irregularities that characterised the past administration to reoccur. You will all be paid through bank accounts directly to your accounts,” he told beneficiaries.
Yusuf used the occasion to announce approval for upward review of the minimum pension from N5, 000 to N20, 000 to reflect the impact of inflation, and its implications largely on purchasing power of the people.
Earlier, the president, Nigerian Union of Teachers, Comrade Titus Audu, lauded the commitment of the state government to reduce the burden of pensions and gratuities in the state.
He challenged state governors to emulate Governor Yusuf on pensioners’ entitlements, stressing the impact of the N16 billion cleared, saying it would not only change the lives of beneficiaries but also improve the economy of the state.
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