Governor Yusuf prioritises pension payment, tackles over ₦43bn liabilities

Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has made the timely payment of pension liabilities to the state’s thousands of retirees, a top priority of his government.

This is despite a backlog of unpaid pensions, benefits and gratuities that was left behind by previous the government.

According to the Nigeria Union of Pensioners in Kano, the government of Abdullahi Ganduje owed pensioners in the state well over ₦43 billion.

The chairman of pensioners in the state, Comrade Salisu Ahmed Gwale, said 3000 civil servants who retired in the state from 2016 to 2023 weren’t paid the gratuities by the previous government.

But Habu Fagge, Chairman of the Kano State Pension Fund Trustees, Habu Fagge put the figure of inherited pension backlog at ₦48.6 billion.

Governor Yusuf in the middle of the year commenced the payment of ₦6 billion gratuities and death benefits to 5,500 pensioners across the state.

The governor had expressed determination to fulfill his campaign promises and improve the welfare of both pensioners and workers in active service in the state.

Since taking office, the governor has stopped, the illegal deduction of monthly salary and pension, a situation that has drawn in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and led to property seizures and litigations against the previous government.

Governor Yusuf has also vowed to ensure that no pension and salary deduction occur in the state under his watch, promising to put a system that would see to the continued payment of gratuities and entitlements monthly.

At least ₦5.4 billion of pensioners’ monthly pension, were illegally deducted.

Governor Yusuf has also settled an additional N5 billion in gratuity backlogs for senior citizens, benefiting 4,000 retirees under the second phase of the settlement program.

The governor said the first phase settled over N6 billion for 2,000 pensioners, while the second phase will cover ₦5 billion for 4,000 retirees and death benefits.

Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf said recently that a transparent system had been established to ensure a smooth payment process, with a committee set up to oversee effective service delivery.