The Niger State Government, North Central Nigeria, has debunked a report by Sahara Reporters alleging that the state’s pension debt has risen to N28 billion under Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago.
The government clarified that accumulated gratuity arrears have significantly reduced since the emergence of the current administration.
The Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Hon. Binta Mamman, reacting to the report on Friday, stated that the gratuity liabilities inherited by the state had dropped by N4 billion.
Describing the allegation as baseless and unfounded, Hon. Mamman noted that the accusations were aimed at tarnishing the image of Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago. She disclosed that eight payments have been made so far, with each batch amounting to N500 million, bringing the total paid to N4 billion.
According to her, “It is important to note that the current administration has cleared outstanding gratuity payments for retirees from 2011 to 2016, amounting to N4 billion, which has significantly reduced the accumulated gratuity arrears.”
She refuted claims by the online media platform, emphasizing that a review of the Niger State audit report for the 2023 financial year showed the state government owes N28 billion in pension arrears.
This marks an increase from the N10.5 billion recorded in 2022, but she clarified that this figure does not reflect the payments already made.
The Commissioner further explained, “The current administration inherited a total liability of N29,387,887,590.42 as of May 2023. The Pension Board has already paid N4 billion out of this liability, with payments commencing on July 24, 2024.”
Hon. Mamman urged media organizations to conduct thorough investigations before publishing reports to avoid misleading the public on pension matters.
The Director-General of the Pension Board, Alhaji Nasiru Namaska, also commented on the matter. He noted that pensioners in the state have expressed satisfaction with the commencement of gratuity payments.
He added, “In eight tranches, N500 million was paid in each batch, totaling N4 billion. The temporary halt in gratuity payments is due to unforeseen circumstances, but I can assure you that payments will resume soon.”
Olusola Akintonde
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