By Kabiru Dogon Daji
Birnin Kebbi
Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP), Kebbi state chapter, yesterday, began a three-day prayer session to seek divine intervention for state government to pay their backlog of pensions and gratuities.
The prayer which was kick-started at the early hours of yesterday led by Adamu Abdullahi Argungu at the Eid-pray ground, Birnin Kebbi, had in attendance over 2, 000 thousand affected pensioners in the state.
In a communiqué issued by the union signed by the Chairman, Alhaji Usman Dangwari, indicated that the members had outrightly rejected the 40 per cent payment of their gratuity which they alleged that the federal government bailout of N11 billion could cover 100 per cent of their entitlements.
It added that the members should remain calm and to attend the three days prayer session to seek for divine redress.
Addressing newsmen, the Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Ibrahim Mohammed Augie, disclosed that the sum of N5 billion had been earmarked for the settlement of outstanding pension and gratuity of pensioners in the state.
He added that all payments of pension and gratuity claims “shall, henceforth, be effected through e-payments to the designated accounts of beneficiaries for all categories of pensioners.”
Blueprint gathered that the 8, 670 pensioners had already been mobilised not to give their account numbers to the Ministry of Finance unless the 100 per cent payment would be implemented.
