Kwara gov promises pensioners’ permanent secretariat, bus

Kwara gov., AbdulRazaq. Photo: File

Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has promised to provide pensioners in the state with a permanent secretariat and a bus, while pledging to address concerns over rent paid for their current accommodation.

According to a statement issued on Wednesday by his Deputy Chief Press Secretary, Mashood Agboola, the governor made the promises on Tuesday in Ilorin during a meeting with the leadership of the state branch of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners.

AbdulRazaq recalled that the union’s existing office was secured through a Certificate of Temporary Occupancy, which did not confer permanent ownership or allocation of the property.

He said, “What you were given before was a certificate of temporary occupancy. They didn’t give you actual allocation, which meant that you were there temporarily and at the will of the government, they would move you. That’s why it was called CTO.

“Having said that, I’ll work with the Head of Service to make sure we find you a permanent place and we’ll sort out the issue of the rents you are currently paying. On the issue of the bus, we’ll sort that one out.”

The statement also quoted the Commissioner for Finance, Hauwa Nuru, as saying that the state government was up to date with pension payments and continued to make provisions for gratuities.

Nuru attributed the non-payment of pensions to some retirees between 2015 and 2018 to their failure to participate in the required verification exercise.

“I will like to clarify that for those that have not received their pension between the period of 2015 and 2018 is because they didn’t come for verification,” she said.

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The NUP chairman, Mahmud Saidu, commended the governor for what he described as improvements in pension administration since the inception of his administration in May 2019.

Saidu recalled that pensioners had suffered partial salary payments and pension arrears before the current government took office, adding that the administration subsequently settled outstanding salary deductions running into billions of naira.

“Let me remind you, sir. When you came in, you met us with amputated salary, pensions (with payment of) 25 percent, 50 percent, and so on and so forth.

“When you came in, and we cried to you, you rescued us. You paid us all the outstanding amputated salaries running into more than four billions.

“Furthermore, in those years, we got our pension, as the case may be, fortnight of the second month.

“Since May 2019 when you came in, we have been getting our salary on or before 25th of every month. You are not owing us any kobo. More grace to your elbow. Long life and prosperity,” Saidu said.