Agbu Kefas, the governor of Taraba, has announced that N500 million has been approved to begin paying pensions to state retirees.
Declaring at Jalingo that the payment exercise will start right away, the governor made the news.
The action was taken a few days after Jonah Kataps, the former state chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), pleaded with the governor to keep retired employees in mind when appointing new local government council members.
Prior to the announcement, the only people who received their monthly pension and gratuity were retired state government employees.
The approved cash, which the governor stated will be distributed in N100 million monthly installments, is intended to guarantee a steady stream of payments, which he thinks will clear the entire backlog.
According to a few of the retirees who spoke with our reporter, they will receive much-needed relief provided the governor’s stated payment schedule is maintained.
According to them, the governor’s actions provide most pensioners who have struggled financially as a result of late payments hope.
One of the pensioners, who went by the name Mallam Yusuf, said that Kefas’s proactive attitude to addressing this matter highlights his dedication to the welfare of retired public personnel.
“The governor recognises the priceless contributions made by pensioners throughout their years of service by allocating these funds,” he stated.
“All of us local government pensioners and our families can look forward to receiving the financial support that the previous administration has long denied us as the payment process gets underway.”
