Gov Yusuf flags off payment of N6bn gratuity to over 5,000 pensioners

Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has flagged off payment of N6 billion gratuity and death benefits of over 5000 pensioners in the state.

Speaking at the official flag-off on Saturday, Governor Yusuf reassured the commitment of his administration in settling all the backlog of gratuities to pensioners as well as enhancing the welfare of civil servants in the state.

He said his administration inherited huge liabilities of pension gratuities of retirees, saying many retirees have passed away without receiving their entitlements.

“As you are aware, the eight years of the last administration witnessed neglect of so many sectors, which includes deductions of monthly pension illegally. We have made a promise during the campaign that we will pay pension gratuities and also curtail monthly pension deductions if given the mandate. Today, Alhamdulillah we are fulfilling our promise despite the competing demands,” he said.

The governor noted that the payment would continue, stressing that the backload of over N48bn pension and gratuities would be settled in the nearest future while urging the beneficiaries to make judicious utilisation of the benefits for a brighter future.

Also speaking, the National President, NUP, Comrade Godwin Abumisi, represented by the National Trustee, Comrade Abdullahi Tsoho Garba, said the settlement of unpaid gratuities and death benefits speaks volumes of the governor’s capacity to like never before, provide dividends of democracy to the people of Kano State.

In their separate remarks, the Deputy Governor, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, and former Deputy Governor, Hafiz Abubakar, urged the pensioners not to allow the ‘illegal’ deductions of benefits by the previous administration to go free but to report to anti-corruption agencies.