By; KABIR WURMA, Birnin Kebbi
The Amalgamated Union of Pensioners Kebbi State chapter Thursday said it has lost about 150 pensioners, 53 paralyzed while 15 went blind while awaiting their pension benefits from government.
Speaking to New Nigerian in Birnin Kebbi, one of the staunch members of the union in the state, Comrade Muhammadu Alhassan lamented that the unwanted development was as a result of the way and manner the state government is frustrating the pensioners in the state.
According to him, since 2014 to date, over 150 pensioners were confirmed death, 53 were paralyzed while 15 went blend due to the non payment of their gratitude.
He stated that state government has frustrated the pensioners in the state. “We have over four thousand retired civil servants while the money has accumulated to the sum of N9.9billion” he stressed.
Also commenting, a member and public commentator, comrade Ahmed Bunza and a stakeholder of the union also a retired civil servant in the state, lamented the deplorable condition of the pensioners in the state adding that the civil servants have being punish after their retirement from the service.
He pointed out that they met with the Governor last time over the payment while he told them that very soon money would be release after the clearance from the presidency.
“We are aware of the economic meltdown in the country but actually Kebbi State Government did not collect bailout but they only collected assistance, what they applied for was 600millon naira to upset the gratitude of the retirees while federal government decided to approve over six billion naira for the state to pay the pensioners” he stated.
He then appealed to President Buhari to give Kebbi State Government clearance on the money of the pensioners in the state saying “people are dyeing in the state, some retired workers don’t have houses on their own, they are waiting for this benefit to build or buy house”.
