Governor Bago Commissions Pensioners Secretariat in Niger State
Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago of Niger state has commissioned the secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) built by the union with a call to pensioners to support the ongoing reform agenda of the state government.
Governor Mohammed Bago made the call said this during the commissioning ceremony of the NUP Secretariat in Minna on Thursday where he advised all unions in the state to strive to sustain the welfare and well-being of their members.
The governor, who was represented at the event by the Deputy Governor, Comrade Yakubu Garba, said the state government will soon begin biometric data capturing and automation of all pensioners to get the actual number of pensioners in the state.
“We have problem of corruption, pension monies are not safe, the use of technology to sanitise the system is the only way out and all pensioners should support this reform,” he said.
He disclosed that the state government recently discovered on the website some pensioners who were collecting three pensions, adding that the ongoing reform agenda is to bring sanity in the system.
Earlier in his welcome address, Chairman, Niger state Council of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Comrade Ishaku Ndagi, said the secretariat was built with pensioners money without assistance from government or any organisation.
He appealed to the state government to include pensioners into the present administration”New Niger Agenda and also commence payment of gratuities retirees who are still alive and those who have died at both local and state levels.
Comrade Ishaku Ndagi called on the state government to pay October 2020 pension allowance to local government retirees, harmonise the monthly pension and resume payment of contributory pension scheme.
He disclosed that the union plan to build a dedicated clinic to carter for the health needs of pensioners and appealed to government to assist the union with land.
In their separate goodwill messages, Deputy Speaker of the Niger state Assembly, Honourable Afiniki Dauda, advised people still in active service to treat pensioners well and give them the needed attention.
Similarly, the National President of NUP, Comrade, Comrade Godwin Abumisi, advised other state unions to emulate Niger state by leaving a legacy behind, adding that the secretariat will help in the development of the state.
Also, the Director General of Niger state Pension Board, Alhaji Nasiru Namaska, who was represented by Mrs Alice Ali, commended pensioners for using their resources to build the secretariat which would stand as a legacy.
