Kwara pensioners beg governor to pay pensions arrears

The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) Kwara chapter, has appealed to Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq to settle the pensions arrears owed teachers in the state.

NUP said Governor Abdulrazaq should as a matter of urgency settle the backlog of arrears owed the state, local government and primary school teachers retirees in the state.

It also asked the state government to implement the 20 percent harmonization, increase the monthly allocation to the state and local government pension boards from N100m to N300m for the board to settle the backlog of gratuities and other entitlements as contained in the memorandum forwarded to the governor by the union in May 2019.

The union made the appeal in a statement in Ilorin, signed by the Chairman and Secretary, Alhaji Said Oladimeji and Comrade Abraham Jona Gana, JP, respectively.

It expressed dismay that the non-implementation of the entitlements has adversely affected the beneficiaries, as many of them have died untimely, while many are unable to meet their hospital and house rent bills among other social and family commitments.

It further urged the governor to terminate the contract of the consultants in charge of payment of pension and gratuities without further delay.

The union called for “the termination of the contract terms of consultants and return of erstwhile duties of accounting officials back to the local government pension board with adequate technological working tools.”

The pensioners, however, commended the governor for the regular payment to both local governments, primary school teachers and state pensioners in the state.

They urged the government to maintain the tempo to make life bearable and meaningful for the beneficiaries.