The Adamawa state government is taking proactive measures to ensure that the perennial challenges militating against the smooth payments of pension and gratuity of retirees in the state is resolved.
To that effect, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri at a political gathering said his administration has earmarked the sum of N1.5 billion to offset the backlog of pension arrears in the state.
Speaking on the development, in an interview with our reporter, chairman of the local government pension board, Mr John Medugu said the board under his watch has formed a five man committee to verify and authenticate the total number of pensioners in the state.
Medugu said the local government pensioners in the state stand at 6,323 as verified by the committee.
Medugu appealed for calm and understanding by the affected pensioners lamenting that record has revealed that some pensioners have not been paid their entitlements for three to Four years.
He maintained that his board has been providing palliatives to its pensioners on monthly basis citing 128 pensioners were considered in June while in July 107 benefited.
According to him 138, 118 and 106 pensioners were attended to in the months of April, September and October while those to benefit for November and December are being compiled.
Medugu announced that his board will be getting N31 million for payment of pension in December pledging that fairness would be applied in the disbursement of the funds.
Recalls that the state branch of the Nigeria pensioners Union, NUP has accused Governor Fintiri of insensitivity to their plight decrying that state governments owed them N27 billion pension arrears.
