Ex-Lawmaker Tasks Niger Gov on Payment of Pensions

Laleye Dipo in Minna

A former lawmaker in the ninth Niger State House of Assembly, Alhaji Malik Bawa Bosso, has tasked the state Governor, Alhaji Mohammed Umaru Bago, to be extra diligent in the payment of pensions to the state retirees, saying that in paying the pensions to retirees, the 2020 Pension Reform Law should be used.

Bosso said it was unfortunate that the law passed by the Assembly and assented to by the then Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, was not implemented, making several pensioners in the state to suffer.

Part of the 2020 law, according to the former lawmaker, was the creation of a Local Government Pension Board  separate from the administration of pensions of  state retirees and the constitution of boards to manage pension matters at the two levels.

Bosso said in an open letter to Governor Bago that the plight of pensioners in the state has reached an alarming level before applauding the pronouncement by the governor for the release of N25 billion for the settlement of pension arrears.

The former lawmaker charged the governor to ensure that due diligence was adopted in the utilisation of the fund in order to ensure that the money gets to the right people.

He, therefore, advised the governor to put in place a Local Government Pension Board, and appoint a director-general, chairman and members for the board so that “the earmarked money will get to the pensioners under local government.”

Bosso commended the governor for approving the funds to ease the sufferings of retirees, but warned that non-adherence to the procedure provided by the 2020 law will make the governor’s efforts fruitless and “the aims for which the money is earmarked defeated.”

On May 29, 2024, at one of the ceremonies to mark his one year in office, Governor Bago announced the approval of N25 billion for the payment of pensions to retirees.

However, checks at the State Pensions Board revealed that the money has not hit the accounts of the board, without any explanation from the state government.

Not less than 25,000 pensioners from 2011 are said to be waiting for the payment of their entitlements.