How Bauchi State Accountant General Escaped Through His Office Back Door, As Bauchi Pensioners  Threatened Showdown

Logpobiri Anaiya

The Bauchi state Accountant General who also doubles as the chairman of the State verification committee, Alhaji Abubakar Gabi yesterday escaped for his dear life, when more than 1000 irate pensioners barricaded the premises of the State treasury.

According to an eyewitness who pleaded anonymity, told  universalreporters247.com  that the pensioners this morning in their numbers blocked the State Treasury premises as they were waiting for the Accountant General to explain to them why the State Government has refused to pay them their February salary.

However, the Accountant General sensing  danger of what may happen to him was alleged to have escaped through the back door of his office when thousands of  Pensioners threaten to raid the treasury office complex demanding immediate payment of their pension.

According to the eyewitness, the pensioners were annoyed that the State Government has not said anything about the payment of their February Salary even when it has paid civil servants.

The National Union of Pensioners (NUP) Bauchi State chapter has threatened a showdown with the Bauchi state government of what it described as insensitivity over non-payment of monthly pension to its members across the State.

Comrade Yakubu Muhammed, the NUP Bauchi state secretary in a chat with newsmen said, enough is enough when government no longer prioritize the plights of pensioners in spite of their contribution while in active service.

Mohammed added that the pensioners were left with no any other option than to demand their member right, that was why they had to lock the state treasury office.

He added that pensioners unpaid gratuity is N17.6 billion for both state and LGA’s, yet government appears not serious to settle them.

According to the secretary, about quite a number of pensioners across the state have died within the shortest time due to delay of payment of their monthly pension.

He described as laughable and funny for the government to attribute the delay in payment to lack of Bank verification number even when they were given form to carry the exercise just last week despite that most of them live in remote areas and outside the state.

It took the quick intervention of armed security to disperse the angry pensioners with their leaders as the government called  for dialogue.

It could be recalled that the Bauchi state government said, it has unearth over 19,000 ghost workers. However, investigation revealed that these are civil servants being paid through  micro-finance and Yankari savings and loan

It would be recalled that the Bauchi Government stated that it has embarked on verification exercises in order to fish out ghost workers.

According to Accountant General while speaking on a Radio program stated that they have fished out 5000 ghost workers, also few days later the Special Adviser to the State Governor in a press statement stated that the state has fished out over 19000 ghost workers.

But according this medium findings shows that majority of the workers who uses Microfinance bank for their salary account who don’t have BVN number were affected in the verification exercise.