Niger State Government urged to settle Retirees gratuities before expiration of tenure ,Says NUP.
By Yahaya zakka Minna.
The Nigerian Union of Pensioners Niger state chapter has called on the Niger state government to look into the plights of retirees in the state by settlement of their gratuities.
The state secretary of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Comrade Abdullahi Baba Sani in an interview mentioned that it is time for the Governor,Abubakar Sani Bello to settle all the outstanding retirees gratuities,especially that his administration has few months to exit.
Comrade Baba Sani said retirees are dying and some been evicted from their rented house for the inability to settle rent.
The state secretary said that payment of gratuities in percentage is unacceptable, adding that whenever fund’s are made available to the pension Board, they should pay the retirees one hundred percent instead of thirty percent,”what can a beneficiary of thirty percent do reasonable with the said meagre amount”.
He stated that the local
government Audit be directed to do same,this according to him will go a long way in reducing wastages because those that are Dead and their names still appears on the payroll can be removed.
He observed that the 40 billion naira gratuities and other Pension liabilities is marred by irregularities and ghost Pensioners.
Comrade Baba Sani stressed that the Governor Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello should ensure that before the exit of his administration all the Pension arrears and gratuities incurred by his administration be cleared,so that the incoming administration would focus on it meaningful projects and not settlement of Gratuities to the Retirees.
Comrade Baba Sani mentioned that a 16 members committee was set up by Mr Governor and came up with recommendations, among specific recommendations was that”the state government should set aside 20 percent Gross monthly internally generated revenue IGR to cater for payment of gratuities and the pension related matter’s which could be reviewed upward or downward.
He stated that those individuals that are cog in the wheel of progress,vehemently refused implementing this important specific recommendations.hence the present predicament to have accumulation of gratuity within the range of 30-40 billion unpaid to Retirees in the state.
He then appealed to all retirees in the state from local government and the state to be more patience and show understanding as the Union is doing everything humanly possible to see that all their entitlement are paid.
