Niger Pension Board verify 18,030 State and LG Pensioners for payment- DG pension.
The Niger State pension board says a total of 18,030 State and Local Government retirees has so far been verified under the NPAS system for payment of monthly Pension while those who are yet to be paid their gratuity.
The payment of the gratuity according to Alhaji Nasiru will help to cushion the current hardship faced by pensioners in the state.
The Director General, Alhaji Nasiru Saidu Namaska disclosed this in an interview shortly after addressing pensioners at the Minna Sports club on Thursday.
He disclosed that, the State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago worried by the plight of pensioners at the State and Local Government Areas decided to source for 25 Billion Naira to settle the 20 years outstanding gratuities.
According to him, on assumption of office, his board decided to embark on automation of the operation of the State pension board.
” On the 20th of November 2023 the board commence the verification of pensioners in the State and as today, we have cleared a total of 9,448 state pensioners
” We also verify a total of 8,582 Local Government pensioners bringing the total number of authenticated retirees in the State and Local Government at 18,030″ and the exercise is ongoing, he said.
He further disclosed that from the verified figures for the State a total of 988 pensioners from four batches have been paid a total of two Billion Naira.
” We have settled four batches comprising 988 out of the total figure of verified State 9,448 consisting of first batch 335, 255, 207 and 191 pensioners respectively, and we are now on the fifth batch to be release on Friday
” The board was however able to pay two batches for Local Government pensioners due to technicalities and have release cheaques worth 0ne Billion Naira for the first and second batches ”
The Director General appealed for understanding as the Governor has given the marching order that all verified pensioners must be paid their gratuity from the 25 Billion Naira set aside for the purpose.
Earlier, Chairman of the State joint Action committee of retirees, Mr. Daniel Zetta commended the State government for commencing the payment of 20 years outstanding gratuities
He also commended the governor for prioritizing pension payments ahead of salaries,according to him is a compassionate gesture that should become a standard practice in alignment with constitutional provisions.
Mr. Zetta however, called on the Niger State Government to urgently review upward the pension of retirees inline with prescribed five years mandatory law.
