2027: Kaduna pensioners endorse Uba Sani for second term

Kaduna State pensioners have endorsed Governor Uba Sani for a second term, citing his administration’s payment of more than N21 billion in outstanding gratuities and death benefits.

The endorsement was made on Tuesday when the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Kaduna State chapter, paid a courtesy visit to the governor and presented him with an award.

The union described Sani as a “pensioners-friendly governor”, saying his administration had improved the prompt payment of pensioners’ entitlements.

The state secretary of the union, Alhassan Balarabe Musa, said the N21 billion released by the administration within three years was unprecedented in the state.

“Within three years of your tenure, you were able to pay more than N21 billion, which in the history of Kaduna State is unprecedented. Even the previous administration was only able to pay just a little above N37 billion in eight years,” he said.

Musa said the amount paid by Sani’s administration represented about 60 per cent of what the previous government paid in eight years.

He added that pensioners were now receiving their entitlements promptly, unlike in the past when local government pensioners sometimes waited two to three weeks for payment.

“Sometimes, even the pensioners receive their entitlements before civil servants get their salaries. This is a welcome development which we really appreciate,” he said.

The union assured the governor of its support and declared that Kaduna pensioners were “100 per cent behind” his second-term bid.

The Deputy National Chairman of the NUP, Abdullahi Usman Onuh, said Kaduna had about 16,000 pensioners and urged them to support the governor’s re-election.

Responding, Sani said his administration valued senior citizens and recognised the contribution of retired workers to the development of the state.

He said paying pensioners their entitlements would motivate workers currently in service, stressing that every worker would eventually retire.

The governor also promised to review pension entitlements in the state in line with prevailing economic realities.

Sani said his administration had earlier increased the pension of permanent secretaries by 200 per cent but would consider the union’s request for a further review.

He also said Kaduna’s pension reforms could influence other states, noting that many states looked to Kaduna when considering improvements in pensioners’ welfare.

The governor further approved the provision of a bus for the NUP and promised to allocate land to the union within Kaduna metropolis.