Niger State Gov’t Settles 21-Year Pension Arrears with N25 Billion
By Our Correspondent
Niger State Government has disbursed N25 billion to clear 21years of outstanding pensions and gratuities owed to retirees of both local and state government civil servants in the state.
Governor Mohammed Umar Bago of Niger state stated this in an interview that this substantial payment underscores the administration’s dedication to the welfare of the state’s retired civil servants after their meritorious service years.
In addition to settling these long-standing arrears, his government has also paid N20,000 wage award to civil servants across the board for the second time in two months.
Governor Bago further revealed that the state government has commenced the payment of all outstanding leave grants that have been pending since 2018 to date.
This move is seen as a significant step towards alleviating the financial burden on retirees, some of whom 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.
Governor Umaru Bago has issued a stern warning against any attempts to alter the serial numbers and files of beneficiaries, adding that anyone found guilty of such actions will face severe consequences.
