Kaduna pensioners laud El-Rufai, want continuity

The Kaduna State chapter of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP) has reiterated its support for Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s administration, promising to vote for the candidate that will sustain his legacies in Saturday’s gubernatorial election in the state.

The pensioners, while commending El-Rufai for aligning pension with the minimum wage of N30,000 monthly, noted that the Kaduna State Government pays the entitlement of its members promptly.

Addressing a press conference in Kaduna on Tuesday, the pensioners said they have “enjoyed tremendous benefits, including improved welfare, from the state government.”

The NUP Secretary in Kaduna State, Comrade Alhassan Balarabe Musa, who spoke on behalf of the union, said the benefits the members have been enjoying “is unprecedented in the history of the Union since inception over 30years ago.”

He added: “Kaduna State Government is the first state in the Federation that implement the minimum Pension of N30,000 since the year 2020.

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“More than 11,000 pensioners benefited from this increase. To our knowledge, the Kaduna State Government is the only state in the country that has increased pension to align with the minimum wage.

“Most of the times state pensioners receive their monthly pension before the state workers receive their salaries.

“The state government inherited liability of N15 billion in 2015 of Gratuity and Death Benefits from the previous administration.

“By the end of 2022, the current administration has settled/paid this inherited liabilities to our members.

“Apart from the N15 billion which has been cleared, the administration has paid additional N20 billion to pensioners as gratuity and death benefits.”

The NUP Secretary stated that the present administration also introduced ‘I AM ALIVE’ thumb printing verification exercise for pensioners.

“This has eliminated the sufferings of the regular screening/verification exercise that used to characterised pension payment in the state.

“It is noteworthy that the Federal Government is now emulating this verification method for federal pensioners.

“In view of the above mentioned good polices of the Governor El-Rufai’s administration, the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Kaduna State chapter appeal to all the pensioners in the state to vote for the governorship candidate who will sustain these progressive policies that will improve their welfare,” Musa added.

The Star