Governor Abdullahi Sule
Collins Agwam – Lafia
Nasarawa State Governor, Engr. Abdullahi Sule has approved the sum of N300 million as part payment of gratuity for 600 retirees in the state.
Director General of the Nasarawa State Pension Bureau, Abdullahi Sani Osaze on Wednesday explained that the Governor being a man who has great respect for the elders in the state and feels their pains approved the money so that pensioners in the state can live happily.
“The Governor always want pensioners to be happy at all times because they worked for the state that is the reason why this money has been approved. We are starting with the payment of 600 people which will be drawn for the three senatorial districts of the state. These set of persons are both State and Local Government Pensioners.”
READ : ‘PDP is anti-persons with disabilities’
“We are hopeful that as we have started paying gratuities to retirees in the state, we won’t stop until we are able to pay everyone. I appeal to all pensioners in the state to maintain calmness as government is determined for their welfare”, he said.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Emmanuel Alidzi said that government will continue to pay pensioners in the state if the resources are available.
“Government is doing everything possible to ensure that pensioners in the state are comfortable. We are beginning with Keffi zone today, tomorrow will be for Akwanga zone while next tomorrow, on Friday will be Lafia zone. You will all receive your cheques”, he said.
Advertisement.
Chairman of Pensioners in the state, Musa Obakpa advised members of the Union to handle their cheques well and not give it to anyone to help them withdraw from the bank.
“Do not give your cheques to anyone to help you withdraw your money and anyone who approaches you here in the pension bureau to give him/her money because they helped you in one way or the other to get your names enlisted to be paid, it’s at your discretion to do that as the money belongs to you and you have full right to do what you want with it.”
One of the beneficiaries who spoke with this medium, Abdullahi Baba Amore from Toto Local Government Area expressed gratitude to the Governor for coming to the aid of Pensioners in the state.
RELATED STORY : Gunmen kill one person, abduct 10 others in Nasarawa
“I am very happy today and I thank Governor Abdullahi Sule for coming to the aid of Pensioners across the 13 Local Government Areas of the state because before now, life have not really been easy but I thank God that I am smiling today and I believe other pensioners are happy too”, he
said.
It would be recalled that most of the retirees in the state have not been paid their gratuities in the last 20 years which have become a burden to the Nasarawa state government as the total outstanding bill for retirees in the state have risen above N50billion.
