The Niger state government has commenced the presentation of gratuity cheques to first-batch retirees in the public service of the state.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony held at the Niger State Pension Board, the Deputy Governor of the state, Comrade Yakubu Garba, said the Governor had promised to clear all the backlog of pensions and gratuities in the state, and the event was a step towards the fulfilment of that promise.
He disclosed that over 335 retirees from the state public service were expected to benefit from the first batch and that the amount set aside to that regard is N500m, adding that they are on the list of the local government retirees, and when cleared, they would present the cheques to the beneficiaries tomorrow (Friday).
He said they were poised to pay every retiree, including dead ones, but it will be based on the availability of funds at their disposal, saying they were releasing the funds bit by bit so as to have a seamless payment exercise that everyone would be happy with.
The Deputy Governor added that they want to sanitise the system and make it in such a way that those who retired first should be paid first, which he observed would bring sanity to the activities of the state pension board and bring trust to the government.
He equally observed that the pension administration has faced a lot of setbacks in the state, which he said no stakeholder should be exonerated from the blame, but that the present administration was committed to ensuring that the right thing was done because it was disheartening that someone would retire from service for several years without accessing his benefits.
While appreciating the retirees for their patience and cooperation during the certification exercise, the Deputy Governor appealed to them to support the government in its efforts towards sanitising the pension system in the state and to pray for the success of such commitment.
He also disclosed that every retiree is to be paid 100 percent of his gratuity and not a percentage of it, and urged them to use it wisely and prayed to Allah SWT to bless it.
Earlier, the Director General of the state pension board, Nasiru Sa'idu Namaska, noted that in the past there were challenges in pension administration in the state but that presently there is about 90 percent sanity in the system.
He disclosed the introduction of the Niger State Pension Administration System (NPAS) in the state, which enables them to automate the system by carrying out biometric data capture of every retiree in the state, adding that they have the details of all retirees from both the state and local governments.
He added that with the NPAS they were able to address the issue of duplication and recycling of retirees, saying, though not completely, that they are between 90 and 95 percent okay.
"If you look at the list we generated, you will know that the pension board is a changed board. It was transparent; it was based on first come, first served, and there is an ethical standard that is followed in generating that list. You can see that the list went viral; that is to show that we have nothing to hide from the public or any stakeholder," said the Director General.
Some of the retirees who spoke at the event appreciated the state government and the pension board for their efforts towards ensuring that retirees get their entitlements and also prayed to God to continue to guide the state governor and all his subordinates.