Taraba NUP Disowns Protest, Says Pensioners Did Not Demand SSG’s Removal

·      Says Protest Does Not Represent Union’s Position

The National Union of Pensioners (NUP), Taraba State Council, has dissociated itself from a social media publication and protest purportedly representing the position of pensioners in the state and calling for the removal of the Secretary to the State Government, Chief Gebon Timothy Kataps, Esq.

 

The State Chairman of the NUP, Mamuda F. Yaro, described the publication attributed to one El Nathan Bila Auta as misleading, insisting that it did not represent the position of the duly elected and recognised leadership of the union.

Yaro said the publication could create the impression that pensioners across Taraba State had passed a vote of no confidence in Governor Agbu Kefas or demanded the removal of the SSG, stressing that such a claim was false.

His position followed a publication alleging that members of the National Union of Pensioners had staged a protest in Jalingo, demanding urgent action from Governor Kefas and the removal of Chief Kataps over alleged interference in the affairs of the union.

The protesters were also reported to have accused the Permanent Secretary, Establishment, of failing to forward their demands to the Governor.

They reportedly alleged that pensioners had been neglected since the creation of Taraba State in 1991 and claimed that successive administrations had failed to adequately address their welfare and pension concerns.

 

They were also reported to have claimed that Governor Kefas had disclosed that about N7 billion had been released for pensioners but alleged that the Governor himself did not know how the money had been utilised.

 

The protesters were said to have passed a vote of no confidence and demanded the immediate removal of the SSG, with the message: **“If you want our votes, listen to us. Remove Gambo Timothy Kataps and address our suffering.”**

 

However, Yaro said the National Union of Pensioners, Taraba State Council, had not authorised the publication and warned against attempts by individuals to speak on behalf of the entire pensioners' community without the approval of the union's recognised leadership.

He said the union was in a position to appreciate the efforts of the Kefas administration in addressing longstanding pension and gratuity obligations inherited from previous administrations.

According to him, Governor Kefas inherited a substantial backlog of pension and gratuity liabilities and had taken concrete steps towards addressing the obligations.

Yaro cited the approval of N1 billion by the Governor in March 2024 for payment of outstanding gratuities, alongside an additional N200 million monthly allocation towards clearing the backlog, which he said dated back to 2011.

He further pointed to subsequent payments to retirees, including the 2014 cohort, as well as the screening and disbursement of outstanding gratuities and death benefits for 2015 retirees and a final mop-up of eligible beneficiaries from the 2013 and 2014 cohorts.

 

The NUP chairman also cited the state government's reported approval of more than N7 billion since the beginning of the Kefas administration for pensions, gratuities, death benefits and other retirement entitlements.

Yaro acknowledged that outstanding obligations remained and that more still needed to be done to address the challenges confronting pensioners.

He, however, rejected any attempt to portray the Kefas administration as one that had abandoned pensioners.

According to him, the payment of inherited gratuity backlogs and continued attention to pension obligations represented significant steps towards resolving problems that had accumulated over many years.

He said pensioners were capable of distinguishing between a government that merely makes promises and one that begins to address inherited liabilities.

“These are not mere promises,” the NUP leadership maintained in its response, arguing that the interventions demonstrated attention to the welfare of retired workers.

Yaro called on pensioners, the general public and the media to disregard publications purporting to speak for the National Union of Pensioners where such publications did not emanate from the recognised leadership of the union.

He urged individuals with genuine grievances to channel them through the appropriate leadership structures of the NUP and relevant government institutions instead of resorting to social media publications capable of creating confusion.

 

The NUP chairman also called for constructive engagement between pensioners and the government, stressing that the union would continue to advocate for the lawful entitlements and welfare of its members.

He commended Governor Agbu Kefas and his administration for what he described as efforts towards improving the welfare of pensioners and retired workers, particularly the attempt to clear inherited pension and gratuity obligations.