Pensioners Lament Non-payment of Five Years Retirement Benefits in Kano

Ibrahim Shuaibu

Worried by the non-payment of the retirement and death benefits since 2016 in Kano, a concern group of pensioners have cried out, appealing to the state government to settle their entitlements.

The group, who came under the auspices of “Kano State Pensioners Unity” equally raised concern on failure of the state government to remit its statutory 17 per cent and workers 8.3 per cent contribution to the Pension Fund Trustees as another critical challenge in pension management in Kano.

Rising from a stakeholder meeting, held recently to address the predicament of the retirees, the group alleged that Kano Pension Fund Trustees is presently insolvent and may find it difficult to meet the outstanding benefits running into billions of naira.

In a communique signed by nine members committee led by Umar Farouk Ibrahim, who is Chairman, the group observed that the “state Pension Fund, financially solvent at inception, has been depleted as a result of inadequate funding and management to the extent that the body could be termed financial insolvent, except for the few assets in its possession, which unfortunately could not meet its outstanding obligations.

“The settlement of retirement and death benefits for those that left the service or died since 2016 has been kept in abeyance making such unpaid entitlement continue to accumulate into billions of naira.

“ For months, the Kano state government has been underpaying pensioners on account of lean financial resources. This action has continued to add financial pressure on pensioners whose earnings, even when fully paid, are inadequate to meet their many needs under the current economic situation”.

The group therefore urged the Pension Trust Fund to, as a matter of necessity, commence periodic publication of reports on the activities, especially the finances liabilities as required by laws.

They equally wanted the umbrella body of Pensioners’ Union to form a Revolving Minor Loan Fund intervention as well as Emergency Relief and Welfare Fund to support indigent and families of pensioners in dire need.