Niger State Governor, Hon. Mohammed Umaru Bago, has promised to enhance take-home for pensioners after sanitising the system.
Governor Umaru Bago, who spoke through his deputy, Comrade Yakubu Garba, made the promise on Thursday at the commissioning of the new secretariat complex of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (Pensioners' House), Niger State Council, located along Madela Road, Minna.
He disclosed that there was a plan on the ground to deploy technology to solve the issue of pensions and gratuities in the state, as they will soon embark on the verification of pensioners in the state.
The governor explained that they have engaged the services of a consultant who will capture the state pensioners and then do automation and analyse the data collected to sanitise the system, after which the results will be used to enhance the take-home of the pensioners.
He observed that there were a lot of anomalies in the pension system and that until all those issues were corrected, the government would not be able to improve the take-home pensions of the pensioners.
He observed that lack of genuine patriotism caused the backwardness of the state in almost all the sectors, observing that even states created after Niger were far more developed than Niger State, but that things will change for the better when we have genuine patriotism in our hearts.
He thanked members of the union, particularly the leadership, for their foresight and commitment, which resulted in the union having its own secretariat complex, urging the leadership to ensure they have mechanisms in place to ensure that the edifice stands the test of time.
The governor advised the union leaders not to demand any assistance from the government or politicians because of the kind of politics we are doing today, adding that while doing something for humanity, it should not be politicised.
He urged the union leaders to concentrate on things that have to do with the welfare of their members, such as the issue of gratuities, promising that the present administration in the state will do its best to put the records straight in terms of pensions and gratuities in the state despite the numerous challenges it has inherited.
Earlier in his address, the state chairman of the union, Comrade Ishaku Ndagi, said the occasion was historic and unique because the Pensioner's House was a dream come true and a morale booster for not only the present executives of the union but the entire pensioners in the state.
He disclosed that the entire building was built with pensioners' money and no dime was received from either the government or any organisation, adding that they did not borrow nor take loans from any bank or organisation for the purpose of the project.
While assuring the governor of the union's continued support at all times, the NUP Chairman said the leadership of the union will not go to sleep until all matters that concern the plight of senior citizens are factored into the New Niger Agenda.
In his goodwill message, the national President of the Union, Comrade Godwin Abuusi, said the state council had joined the league of state councils with their own secretariat, adding that the beauty of the whole thing lies in the fact that the structure was built with pensioners' money from start to finish.
He said he was humbled to see the kind of edifice erected by the state council, adding that the leadership of the council had left a legacy worthy of emulation by other unions and politicians in office, calling on other state councils to learn from the Niger council.