Bailout: Bauchi Retirees Demand 15 Billion Naira Backlog Of Gratuities

Masoyi Lusa

With the bailout of N8.6 billion to Bauchi state by the federal Government, pensioners wants the state government to offset some of the gratuities backlog amounting to over N15 billion .

The Chairman Bauchi state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, NUP, Alhaji Abu Gar in an exclusive interview With Newsmen in Bauchi yesterday, said “with the bailout release to Bauchi state amounting to the tune 8.6 billion Naira the government should look in the plight of pensioners and start paying our accumulated 15 billion Naira backlog of arrears to retirees to alleviate our suffering”

Accord to him, retirees’ rights to pension as contained in the constitution In recognising the citizens’ right to pension, Section 16(2)(d) of the 1999 Constitution stipulates that “The State shall direct its policy towards ensuring: that suitable and adequate shelter, suitable and adequate food, reasonable national minimum living wage, old age care and pensions, and unemployment, sick benefits and welfare of the disabled are provided for all citizens but all avail to pensioner in this country

“We Are Suffering after several years of retirement but life has been very hard for us since, from what we expected when we retired. Most of us have been living by the grace of our children

“I am telling you so many of us have been living at the mercy of God. It is only God that has been helping us. Some of us engage in little farming” he said

“So we are appealing to Bauchi state government to use the bailout given to them by Federal Government to start reducing the backlog arrears of our gratuities to relieve us from this hardship” Gar pointed out

In his response the State Head of Service Mr. Abdon Dalla Gin, said the state government have been trying it’s possible best to settle monthly pension in the state, “as I am talking to you  now the state government is not owing any money for pension we all the months”

“In respect of the gratuities the state government is working towards how to start settling the backlog of the arrears of the gratuities”