Forum Calls on Bauchi to Pay Outstanding Gratuities of Pensioners 

By Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

The Bauchi State Government has been urged to look into the possibility of the payment of outstanding gratuities of retired civil servants in the state.

The Chairman, Bauchi State Togetherness and Development Forum, Abdullahi Koli, gave the charge Wednesday when he led members of the association on a courtesy visit to the Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism in his office.

Koli, who observed that the payment would reduce the sufferings of the beneficiaries and boost business activities in the state, stressed the need for the government to give adequate assistance to the people affected in the recent disasters in the state.

According to him, the visit is to forward their complaints to the commissioner for urgent government attention, which include the need for the people to obtain their permanent voter cards (PVCs), assisting victims of recent disasters and payment of gratuities to retired civil servants, among others.

Responding, the Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Alhaji Umar Ibrahim Sade, promised to forward their complaints to the governor for necessary action.

Meanwhile, the federal and state governments have been urged to give special percentage of their budget to nomads as a measure to guard against farmers/headsmen clash in the country.

The Secretary of the Joint Forum of Fulani Association, Bauchi State Chapter, Alhaji Sadiq Ibrahim Ahmad, who made the call in an interview with newsmen in Bauchi Wednesday, said lack of equal sharing of natural resources to all the tribes in the country has contributed to the cause of the clashes.

He said the inability of government to meet the needs of the people was responsible for the current crises in some parts of the country.

The secretary said the Fulanis are peace loving, and therefore stressed the need for the government to live up to its responsibilities.

Ahmad also blamed some media organisations in the country for taking side in reporting clashes between farmers/herdsmen.