KEY POINTS
• Kaduna NUP commends Gov. Uba Sani over approval of N3.65bn for pensions, gratuities and death benefits.
• The latest payment covers 1,339 beneficiaries under the Defined Benefit and Contributory Pension Schemes.
• The union says the administration has paid N21.45bn to 9,683 beneficiaries since May 2023.
MAIN STORY
The Kaduna State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) has welcomed the state government’s latest intervention to clear pension-related obligations owed to retirees and families of deceased public servants.
The union’s Chairman, Aboman Ladan, and Secretary, Alhassan Balarabe Musa, expressed the position in a letter made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna on Monday.
The union said the N3.65 billion approval for pensions, gratuities and death benefits would provide financial relief to beneficiaries across the state.
It said 1,339 people covered by both the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS) and Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) were included in the latest payment.
The NUP also pointed to the wider record of pension payments since Sani became governor in May 2023, saying N21.45 billion had so far been paid to 9,683 beneficiaries.
The union said the payments were significant because retirees depend on such entitlements after completing their years of public service.
It said Sani’s position that pension payments constitute an obligation rather than a discretionary gesture was consistent with the need to treat retirees’ entitlements as commitments owed by government.
The latest approval was earlier announced by the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Malam Ahmed Maiyaki, following the governor’s authorisation of the funds.
Under the breakdown, N515 million was earmarked for 210 Local Government retirees under the DBS.
A further N3.14 billion was approved under the CPS for 402 retirees from the State Service and 727 retirees from Local Government Councils.
The government said the intervention formed part of efforts to reduce outstanding pension liabilities and strengthen the sustainability of the state’s pension system.
The pensioners’ union said the continued payments had helped address accumulated obligations while improving the welfare of retired workers and affected families.
THE ISSUES
- The latest N3.65 billion approval targets pension, gratuity and death benefit obligations affecting retirees and families of deceased public servants across Kaduna State.
- The payments cover beneficiaries under two pension arrangements, with allocations going to both State Service and Local Government retirees.
- The cumulative figure of N21.45 billion paid to 9,683 beneficiaries since May 2023 indicates that the administration has continued to allocate funds towards outstanding pension liabilities.
WHAT’S BEING SAID
“pension payment is not a favour. It is an obligation.” — Uba Sani, Kaduna State Governor
WHAT’S NEXT
The latest intervention is expected to support the continued settlement of outstanding pension and related liabilities to eligible beneficiaries across the state and its local government councils.
The state government has also indicated that the payments form part of efforts to improve the long-term sustainability of its pension system.
BOTTOM LINE
Kaduna’s latest pension intervention directs N3.65 billion towards retirees and families of deceased public servants, with 1,339 beneficiaries covered. The payment brings the amount the administration says it has disbursed to pension beneficiaries since May 2023 to N21.45 billion.
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