Adamawa State governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, has inaugurated a reconstituted Pension Committee with a mandate to ensure fairness, transparency, and prompt settlement of long-standing arrears owed to retired civil servants in the state.

The inauguration was performed yesterday on behalf of the governor by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Auwal Tukur, at the State Secretariat Complex in Yola.

Tukur reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to easing the financial burden of retirees, many of whom have endured years of delay in receiving their entitlements.

As part of the renewed effort, Governor Fintiri approved the release of N8 billion for the settlement of pension liabilities. Out of the sum, N5 billion was earmarked for state pensioners, while N3 billion was allocated to local government retirees across the 21 local government areas of the state.

He stressed that payments would follow a “first retired, first served” principle to eliminate favoritism and ensure transparency.

The SSG also commended the work of the previous committee and expressed confidence in the new team, chaired by Engineer Benson Jelani.

“The selection of the committee members was based on their competence and proven track records,” Tukur said. “We trust that under Engr. Jelani’s leadership, this committee will perform with diligence and integrity.”

In his response, Jelani thanked Governor Fintiri for the confidence reposed in the committee and pledged to discharge its responsibilities with fairness and accountability.

“We assure His Excellency and the good people of Adamawa that we will execute our duties without fear or favour,” he stated.

The reconstitution of the Pension Committee comes amid growing calls for pension reform across Nigeria, as many states continue to struggle with huge outstanding pension liabilities.