Nasarawa State Governor, Alhaji Abdullahi Sule.
By Shonaye Prince, Lafia
The governor of Nasarawa State, Alhaji Abdullahi Sule, on Thursday gave approval for the release of N340 million for the payment of gratuity to 1193 state and local government retirees.
The disclosure was made by the Director- General, State Pension Bureau, Alhaji Suleiman Nagogo at the press briefing held in Lafia.
Nagogo disclosed that the approval of the N340 million was to off-set 576 and 614 entitlements of the local government and state retirees in that order, to end the worries of non-payment of pensioners.
The DG explained how the present regime inherited backlog of debt of the retirees gratuity and pension benefits in both the State and Local Government from the previous administrations in the state.
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He said, “Upon my assumption in office, I noticed that His Excellency, Alhaji Abdullahi Sule is so passionate towards pensioners and have made it a duty to always attend to their needs.
“His Excellency took immediate action by setting-off the Local Government Pensioners’ backlog and arrears in January, 2022 and went further to approved quarterly release of Three Hundred and Forty Million Naira only (N340,000,000.00) for the payment of gratuity for State and Local Government retirees.
“Aside from this, there were so many litigations leveled against the State government by pensioners in various courts. His Excellency wasn’t happy over the dispositions at all, looking at the fact that the aggrieved Pensioners had sacrificially served the state and deserved to be treated with honour”
Nagogo added that “the Governor’s bold decision at settling the grievances through Out of Court policy was the milestone that brought about the achieved peace and harmonious coexistence between the worried Pensioners and the State Government”.
He said the State pension Bureau will continue to support the state government policies and programs.
The Director General called on the people of Nasarawa to always be in support of Engr Sule’s administration for collective and better governance.
