There was wild jubilation in Kaduna metropolis on Friday, following the announcement that the sum of N3.1billion has been handed over to the State Pensions Bureau by Governor Uba Sani, for the payment of benefits of retirees.
The development is coming on the heels of the governor’s earlier approval of the fund, of which a list of over 1,000 beneficiaries has also been released at take-off of the payments.
The Pension Bureau has commenced work on the list of 1,051 beneficiaries in both the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS) and Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
Some 873 of the beneficiaries, according to the government, were for both State and Local Government Council Retirees and families of deceased workers and it amounts to N2.6 billion.
The State has also said it has scheduled the list of 331 beneficiaries for the sum of N1.2bn, while Local Government has 542 beneficiaries for N1.4bn.
“Thus, the total beneficiaries in DBS is 873. The sum of N500m was allocated to beneficiaries in the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), with 178 beneficiaries of State,” the governor revealed.
Meanwhile, at the Local Government level, all verification payment exercises of Gratuity and Death Benefits of beneficiaries will commence next week Wednesday, November 8, 2023 at various headquarters of the three senatorial zones in the State.
According to the State government’s plan, the list will be posted on social media handles, at the Pension Bureau premises, Local Government Secretariats, Pension Union offices, and that it will also be sent to Pension Desk Officers (PDOs) in Local Government Offices, said the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mohammed Lawal Shehu, in a statement midweek.