Niger Pension Board has so far paid some Pensioners from the State Civil Service about N4billion Gratuities since the commencement of the exercise recently adding that the Board will soon commence AM Alive Biometric verification of Pensioners in the state by January next year (2025).
The Director General Niger Pension Board, Malam Nasiru Saidu Namaska made the disclosure on Monday in the premises of the board in Minna during an interface with the Pensioners, highlighting that the board has so far paid no fewer than eight Batches of the State retired civil servants at N500million per batch since the commencent of the payment of the retirees by the board in conjunction with the state government, just as he commended the State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, for the timely provision of funds for the payment of retirement benefits in the state.
The Director General, Niger State Pension Board, Mallam Nasiru Saidu Namaska made the commendation during the symbolic presentation of cheques to batch eight beneficiaries of state retirees in Minna, emphasising, that God Almighty has answered the prayers of the state retirees and they were happy with the development having waited patiently for several years after their retirement at the end of their active service for the State.
According to him, “Our retirees have prayed for Almighty Allah, and Allah has answered their prayers by giving the State a God fearing Governor who has the interest of the welfares of the citizens and the retirees at heart, the success of this exercise is for his excellency, governor Umaru Bago”.
He further disclosed that the Board has also concluded compilations of both 9th and tenth Batches which are due for payment early next week and the following week, saying, ”We are working tirelessly to meet up with the dateline given to us by the Governor and he has mandated me in particular and my members of staff to ensure that each and every retiree in the state collects his retirement benefit as and when due”.
He thereby appealed to the retirees who are yet to be paid their gratuities, to kindly exercise patience as each and every retiree in the state will get his/ her retirement benefits paid to them.
Mallam Nasiru also noted that the staff of the board are very transparent in this exercise and are committed to due process in the payment of gratuity, stating, ”We operate an open door policy and anyone should feel free to approach the board with complaints, and if there is any complain, ”you can also come and see whatever we are doing, with regards to payment of gratuitous”.
He also assured that the payment process will remain first come, first served, as directed by the State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago adding that there is no going back on the directive.
He further disclosed that payment of gratuity in batches is the decision of the Governor emphasising that, ”it is the Governor that has the right and power to decide on how the payments should be, stressing that he (Governor Umaru Bago) has decided that we should pay in batches and we will continue to pay in batches until every retiree in the state gets his/ her retirement benefits.”
Nasiru Saidu Namaska, also explained why some retirees’ names are being skipped from the payment list or the batch they belong.
He said, once the file of a beneficiary is not seen, he/she will not be paid because it is the file that will determine whether a beneficiary had worked for the state or has liability to collect and the exact amount he is to collect, hence the omission.
He seized the forum to inform retirees that in January 2025 the board will start “AM ALIVE” biometric verification exercise for pensioners in the State.
According to him, the exercise will enable the State Government to save costs for meaningful projects in the future and also curb the problem of ghost Pensioners in the State.
” Retiree can go to any commercial bank of his choice in the Country, “just walk in and tell them you want to be captured for “AM ALIVE” verification and you will be captured and a slip will be given to you as a prove.
He however warned that any pensioner who refused to be captured would not be paid his/ her monthly pension, he maintained.
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