Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has pledged to settle the entire N21 billion owed in gratuities and death benefits to retirees and families of deceased civil servants by the end of his first term in 2027.
During a ceremony at the Government House on Wednesday, where he released the fifth tranche of N5 billion, the governor revealed that his administration has paid out N27 billion in pension liabilities out of 48billion backlog since assuming office in 2023.
He noted that over 50% of the 12,000 affected pensioners have now received full payments.
Yusuf assured the public of his commitment to ending the long-standing hardship pensioners have faced and expressed gratitude for their patience. The event included the distribution of death benefit cheques and instant payment alerts.
The Emir of Rano, speaking on behalf of Emir Muhammad Sanusi II, praised the effort, stating that under the previous administration, pensioners were allegedly required to pay bribes to access their benefits.
Governor Yusuf also acknowledged the roles played by pension fund managers and the Nigeria Union of Pensioners in facilitating the payments.