By Mohammed Baba Busu
Niger Government has approved N25 billion to clear 21-year-old outstanding pension and gratuity arrears owed to both retired local and state government civil servants.
Gov. Umaru Bago stated this in an interview with newsmen in Minna on Tuesday.
He said that this substantial payment underscored his administration’s dedication to the welfare of the state’s retired civil servants after their meritorious service years.
According to him, in addition to settling these long-standing arrears, his government has also paid N20,000 wage award to the civil servants across the board for the second time in two months.
Bago further revealed that the state government has commenced the payment of all outstanding leave grants that have been pending from 2018 to date.
This move is seen as a significant step towards alleviating the financial burden on the retirees.
Some have not received their pensions for over 20 years, leading to a considerable backlog,
hence the payment process to continue in batches, starting from the retirees from the local government areas.
According to the governor, the current administration under his leadership is committed to ensuring that pension payments are made on time moving forward, to prevent similar situations in the future.
Bago also issued a stern warning against any attempts to alter the serial numbers and files of the beneficiaries, warning that anyone found guilty of such actions would face severe consequences.
NAN
