- Kaduna State allocates N3.1 billion to pay gratuity and death benefits to 1,051 pensioners and families of deceased pensioners
- Payment follows a first-come-first-served principle, with verification teams set to visit different zones in the state for disbursements
The Kaduna State Pension Bureau has announced that the state government has earmarked N3.1 billion for the payment of gratuity and death benefits to 1,051 pensioners and the families of deceased pensioners in the state. This allocation includes 873 beneficiaries from defined benefits schemes for both local governments, state retirees, and families of the deceased.
Professor Salamatu Isah, the Executive Secretary of the bureau, stated that the bureau has begun the verification and payment of gratuity and death benefits to the beneficiaries. She assured the beneficiaries that no file would be missed during the verification exercise and encouraged them to bring all the necessary documents for the process.
Isah explained that the payment principle follows a first-come-first-served basis, and a delay in appearing on the list for verification does not necessarily indicate a missing file. The verification payment team will visit the three senatorial zones of the state to facilitate the final payment of benefits to the beneficiaries.
The state governor, Uba Sani, allocated N3.1 billion to the State Pension Bureau for the payment of gratuity and death benefits, with N2.6 billion designated for retirees in the old scheme, N100 million for retirees in the ministries (comprising 1,051 individuals), and N500 million for beneficiaries in the new scheme.
In a related development, the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for reappointing Dr. Chioma Nnenna Ejikeme as the Executive Secretary of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD). Ejikeme has been recognized for her efforts in clearing the backlog of pension arrears and liabilities and for addressing pension liabilities of defunct agencies. These achievements were made possible with repatriated funds from Crown Agents Investment Company in the United Kingdom, with the approval of former President Muhammadu Buhari.