Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf has reiterated his administration’s commitment to clear the backlog of retirees gratuities in the state.
He restated his commitment while delivering a speech at Nigeria’s 63 independence celebration on 1 October 2023 held at Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano.
It could be recalled that two months ago, Stallion Times published an investigation on the plight of pensioners in Kano.
The report revealed that the state government owes retirees about N44 billion in gratuities.
Other findings are that from November 2020 to May 2023, a sum of over N5.6 billion was deducted from the pensions of retirees without refund.
One week after the investigative report, the state government through the Kano Pension Fund Trustee began the payment of retirement benefits to pensioners.
In his Independence Day celebration speech, Governor Yusuf reiterated his commitment: “My administration has placed utmost priority on the welfare of citizens, especially the government retirees who deserved their gratuities for serving the state for more than three decades.”
A reliable source at the Kano Pension Fund Trustee who wished to remain anonymous confirmed that the board commenced payment of full pensions two months ago.
The Source also confirmed that plans are underway to pay pensioners’ retirement gratuity.
“Payment of pension has already commenced and there are plans to start the payment of retirees’ gratuity,” he declared.
Stallion Times reached out to Mallam Aminu Usman, a pensioner who is amongst the sources in the investigative report that had alleged his pension was cut by large percentages for 38 months, without refund and owed N1.41 million gratuity.
Usman said: “My gratuity hasn’t been paid yet, but I now receive full payment of my pension.
“I hope that I will receive my gratuity in the nearest future but as for my pension, I have been receiving it completely for the past two months.”
