Retirees owe Kano state government over N28 billion outstanding pensions, gratuities and death benefits.
The State chairman of the State chapter of Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Salisu Gwale, made the disclosure in a telephone interview with the Telescope in Kano on Sunday.
Read also: Group alerts Kano Govt, security agencies on activities of fake Coalition of Ulamas, NGOs
“Retirees in Kano state are owing the state government retirement benefits to the tune of over N28 billion.
He lamented that payment of monthly pension to retirees in the state is not being implemented 100 percent due to the refusal of many agencies to remit what they deducted from the workers’ salaries in the state.
“Even though the state government is paying monthly pension but the payment is not 100 percent.
Read also: Foundation Distributes Foodstuffs To Less Privileged In Zamfara, Sokoto
“As Iam talking to you now the state government has not been able to pay retirement benefits to retirees in the state since 2016.
He called on Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje to consider the payment of the outstanding pensions, gratuities and death benefits to retirees and their families to alleviate their sufferings.
He argued that payment of monthly pension and gratuities to pensioners is a right not a privilege.
On the recent declaration by Governors that they would clear backlog of pensions when fuel subsidy is removed, Gwale said the governors have no reason to say so because they are still executing capital projects.
Read also: FG approves fresh ₦19bn for Kano–Gwarzo–Dayi road project — Senator Barau
“Why the governors have not stopped capital projects.They are executing capital projects because they are getting kickbacks from contractors.
“But they know if they pay retirees their outstanding pensions and other entitlements, they (Governors) will not get anything in return”, he said.
