By Shafi’u Yahaya
The Chairman of the Kano State Pensioners’ Association, Comrade Shuaibu Musa Jibrin, has commended the administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for what he described as remarkable improvements in the welfare of retirees in the state.
Speaking during an interaction with journalists in his office, Comrade Jibrin stated that the present administration has so far settled about N32 billion out of the N48 billion outstanding gratuity liabilities inherited from the previous government.
He further noted that pensioners in the state are experiencing timely payment of monthly pensions, which he said now consistently comes before the 25th of every month.
He also praised the government for maintaining what he described as a “three-year deduction-free period” for pension payments, describing it as a major relief to retirees.
According to him, the pensioners are satisfied with the governor’s performance in the last three years, particularly in addressing long-standing issues affecting retirees.
Comrade Jibrin added that Governor Yusuf had previously assured pensioners that all outstanding gratuities would be fully cleared before the end of his first term in office, expressing confidence that the promise would be fulfilled.
He also recalled that the administration had reviewed the minimum monthly pension from N5,000 to N20,000, describing the increment as a welcome intervention.
However, he appealed for further review, citing rising living costs and the declining value of the naira.
“The market situation has changed and the value of the naira has reduced. We are therefore appealing for another review of monthly pensions,” he said.
The pensioners’ chairman expressed gratitude to the governor for his interventions and prayed for his continued success, while also declaring support for his second-term ambition, popularly referred to as “4+4.”
He concluded by thanking the administration for what he described as a sympathetic and pensioner-friendly approach to governance.
