Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has criticized his predecessor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, for neglecting to prioritize the payment of gratuities and death benefits to retirees during his eight-year tenure.
Yusuf revealed that the previous administration left a massive outstanding balance of over N48 billion in unpaid pensions. He made the statement during the official launch of the third tranche of N5 billion payment for backlogged gratuities and death benefits at the Government House.
In a statement from his spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa, Governor Yusuf expressed sympathy for the retirees who suffered untold hardships under the Ganduje administration. He noted that many pensioners had died waiting for their entitlements.
“The neglect of Ganduje’s administration in settling pensioners’ dues subjected them to hardship, creating the biggest social security threat in Kano’s history,” Yusuf said.
Governor Yusuf explained that his administration had already begun addressing the issue by releasing N16 billion in gratuities to 6,886 retirees in three tranches. He emphasized that paying backlog gratuities was not only a moral obligation but also a leader’s duty.
He assured retirees that payments would be made transparently through an electronic system, eliminating the irregularities of the previous administration. Additionally, Yusuf directed the Head of Service, Sharia Commission, and Pension Fund Trustees to identify and pay the relatives of deceased pensioners.
The Governor also announced an increase in the minimum pension award from N5,000 to N20,000 to account for inflation and its effect on retirees’ purchasing power.
The President of the Nigerian Union of Teachers, Titus Audu Amba, praised Governor Yusuf for addressing the burden of pension gratuities in the state and urged other governors to adopt similar measures to improve the lives of pensioners and the broader economy.