Kano Pensioners Hail N6bn Payment, Blast N5.4bn Deductions Under Ganduje

Kano Pensioners Hail N6bn Payment, Blast N5.4bn Deductions Under Ganduje

By Hafsat Bello Bahara

The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) has strongly denounced the N5.4bn deducted from pensioners’ payments by the Abdullahi Ganduje administration in Kano State between 2015 and 2023, labelling it a source of untold hardship for thousands.

In contrast, the NUP leadership showered accolades on Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, for his compassionate move in disbursing a substantial N6 billion toward pensioners’ gratuity and death benefits.

The National President of NUP, Comrade Godwin Abumisi, expressed satisfaction during the official flag-off ceremony held in Kano on Saturday.

Represented by National Trustee, Comrade Abdullahi Tsoho Garba, Abumisi commended Governor Yusuf, stating, “The settlement of unpaid gratuities and death benefits, at a time when other governors are grappling with take-up issues, speaks volumes of his excellency’s capacity to provide dividends of democracy to the people of Kano State.”

During his address Governor Yusuf expressed his fulfilment in achieving these promises within the first months of his administration, signalling a positive shift for pensioners in Kano.

The sum of N6bn was paid to about 6,000 pensioners in Kano over the weekend as the first tranche for settling the unpaid backlog of gratuity and death benefits of retirees in Kano.

Recall Governor Yusuf had made promises during his electioneering campaigns to address pending payments of gratuity, ensured timely monthly pension allowances, and halt the illegal deductions initiated by the previous administration.

The NUP President appealed to the Federal Government for further intervention, citing Kano State’s substantial accumulation of unpaid benefits amounting to N43bn from 2016 to date.

The union urged the federal government to honour its pledge of including pensioners in the N25,000 cash award resulting from subsidy removal.