The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Kano State Chapter, Alhaji Salisu Gwale, talks to TUKUR MUNTARI about the plight of pensioners in the state and their expectations from the administration of Governor Abba Yusuf
One of the challenges facing retirees in Kano State and some other states is the non-payment of their entitlement by the state governments. What is the current situation in Kano?
My name is Ahmed Gwale. I am the current chairman of the Kano State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners. The payment of monthly pensions to retirees in the state was not fully implemented during the administration of former governor Abdullahi Ganduje due to the refusal of many agencies to remit what they deducted from the workers’ salaries in the state. Even though the state government was then paying a monthly pension, the payment was not 100 per cent due to the refusal of ministries, departments, and agencies to remit the deductions.
How much is the Kano State Government owing pensioners?
As I am talking to you, the Kano State Government owes retirees over N43bn even though the present administration under the leadership of Governor Abba Yusuf has promised to pay N6bn from the backlog. As you are aware, he commenced the payment of death benefits and pension under the first phase. No fewer than 6,000 retirees and families of deceased civil servants will benefit from the first tranche. Don’t forget the over N43bn outstanding pensions, gratuities, and death benefits were left as a liability by the administration of former governor Abdullahi Ganduje because they did not pay as expected.
Did the state government explain to you why the entitlements have not been paid? Or what do you think could be responsible?
Well, lack of commitment and political will were some of the reasons why the former government refused to pay. It preferred to neglect retirees. Many of the retirees lost their lives due to illness and other health challenges because they lacked the money to secure quality healthcare services while some of them withdrew their children from school as a result of the nonpayment of their entitlements.
What is your reaction to the decision of the New Nigeria Peoples Party-led government to pay the outstanding pension?
Retirees in Kano State do not have enough words to express their thankfulness and gratitude to Governor Abba Yusuf. This is what they have been yearning and waiting for. If the previous governments had been paying in instalment, it would have offset the backlog and it would have been history by now. So, with the commencement of the payment to about 5,500 beneficiaries a few weeks ago, the affected retirees have started heaving a sigh of relief.
I will only ask them to fear Allah because even if you are in a position of authority today, tomorrow, or one day, you will retire and become a pensioner. So, it’s better to do what one can do while in active service to ameliorate the sufferings of pensioners so that if the system is corrected, it will be of great benefit if not to him but to other Nigerians and one will be remembered for whatever contribution they give in correcting the system. I always tell whoever cares to listen to me that the payment of monthly pensions and gratuities to pensioners is a right, not a privilege because prompt payment will alleviate the sufferings of their families. Therefore, I want to use this opportunity to call on other governors in the country to emulate Governor Yusuf to alleviate the sufferings being experienced by retirees and their families not only in Kano State but across the 36 states in the country.
Are there other issues not resolved by the previous administration that you would like to draw the governor’s attention to?
I want to also use this opportunity to call on Governor Yusuf to refund the N5.4bn deducted from pensioners’ payments by Ganduje’s administration between 2020 and 2023 which created untold hardship for thousands of pensioners in the state and local governments. The state government should also ensure that pensioners are paid on the 25th of every month as directed by the government in addition to directing all MDAs to ensure prompt remittance of the money deducted from workers’ salaries to the pension board. Finally, I want to seize this opportunity to appeal to pensioners to be patient with the government since it’s a government that has a human face.
