Pension: Gov Kefas Broke 10 Years Jinx But Retires Wants Gratuity Paid

 

For pensioners in Taraba State, the Administration of Governor Dr. Agbu Kefas was able to achieve what it has been clamoring for over a decade, the enrolment of over One Thousand Local Government Retirees in the Sixteen Local Governments of Taraba State into the State Pension Scheme.

 

Members of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners NUP Taraba State Council said it is highly gratifying that within just a Month in office they are seeing hopes that the age long yoke on the none payment of gratuity in the state might be broken by Governor Agbu Kefas.

 

"The payment of pension  of 1,166 Local Government retirees from July 2018 to May 2023 comprising Local Government Staff, Retired Primary School Teachers, Primary Health Care Development Agency Staff and Staff of Traditional Council in the Sixteen Local Governments in the State who have already been enrolled into the State Pension Scheme was a jinx breaker for pensioners in Taraba because for more than ten years retires were begging previous government to do this," Chairman Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP) Taraba State Comrade Kefas Katan said.

 

Comrade Katan said while they are indeed very happy that some of the Local Governments retirees are enrolled for pension but there are still many retirees who have retired for eight to ten years that are yet to be captured.

 

Also, Spokesperson of the pensioners Mallam Yusuf Salihu Sansani said non-payment of gratuity require the immediate attention and intervention of the Government.

 

"The problems of Pensioners in Taraba State are multidimensional and compounded, gratuity was paid last to those who retired in 2010 and so for the last 13 years, no pensioner collected a dim as gratuity from both State Pension Board and Local Government State Pension Board while there are other benefits which were approved by the Federal Government to pensioners in the Country which are implemented in most States but not implemented in Taraba, State among other challenges, these also require the immediate attention and intervention of the Government and also to consider pensioners for appointments in his Government," Sansani said.

 

The Pensioners however admitted that Governor Kefas has embarked on meaningful projects and activities that have direct bearings on the lives of the generality of the people of the State.

 

"In fact, there is no doubt that the activities of the Governor in the State within this short period will in no small way positively touch the lives of all the segments of the state particularly the enrolment of retirees who have been wallowing in abject poverty into the pension scheme, fifty percent deduction in the school fees of the Taraba State University and the State College of Nursing and Midwifery as well as free education in all Government Secondary and Primary Schools and free distribution of fertilizer and Tractors to farmers will really go a long way in reducing the hardship faced by the people of the state.

"These so far are clear indication that we really now have a working Governor who is ready to serve the people of the State diligently and further buttress his affection for the senior citizens," Comrade Katan said.