Kaduna State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) has endorsed Gov. Uba Sani for a second term, citing his commitment to pensioners’ welfare.
The union described Sani as a pensioner friendly governor who had wiped away members’ tears through prompt payment of their entitlements.
The pensioners who presented an award to the governor during a courtesy visit on Tuesday, lauded his administration for its interventions in the sector.
The state secretary of NUP, Alhassan Musa, said the administration had released more than N21 billion for outstanding gratuities and death benefits.
Musa said the payment was unprecedented in Kaduna’s history, noting that the previous administration paid slightly above N37 billion over eight years.
He said the amount paid by Sani’s administration within three years represented about 60 per cent of what the previous government paid in eight years.
According to him, pensioners now receive their entitlements promptly, unlike previously when local government pensioners sometimes waited two to three weeks.
“Sometimes, pensioners receive their entitlements before civil servants get their salaries. This is a welcome development which we really appreciate,” he said.
Musa assured the governor of the union’s continued support, saying pensioners across the state were fully behind his second-term ambition.
“Kaduna State pensioners are 100 per cent behind you, sir,” he said.
Also speaking, the NUP Deputy National Chairman, Abdullahi Onuh, said the union had about 16,000 pensioners in Kaduna State.
Onuh urged the pensioners to support Sani’s re-election, saying their collective votes could contribute significantly to his victory.
He also appealed to other aspirants to reconsider their ambitions in view of the governor’s achievements in pensioners’ welfare.
Responding, Sani said the Kaduna Government respected and valued senior citizens who contributed significantly to the development of the state.
He said every worker would eventually retire, stressing that a functional civil service remained critical to effective governance and development.
“Without your hard work, all of us sitting here wouldn’t have been here,” the governor said.
Sani said prompt payment of living pensions would motivate serving workers to remain committed to their duties.
He attributed his administration’s pensioner-friendly disposition to his long-standing advocacy for workers, the underprivileged and vulnerable members of society.
The governor said his administration had earlier increased the pension of permanent secretaries by 200 per cent.
He, however, promised to consider the union’s request for further review of pension entitlements in line with prevailing economic realities.
Sani said he would establish a committee to review monthly pension entitlements and recommend appropriate adjustments.
He said Kaduna’s pension reforms could influence other states to improve retirees’ welfare, adding that many states looked up to Kaduna for policy direction.
The governor also approved the union’s request for a bus for members and promised to allocate land to NUP within Kaduna metropolis.
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