The Niger State government has expended the sum of N24.09billion in payment of pension related commitments between 2007 to date.
The director-general of the Pension Board, Alhaji Benu Yahaya, disclosed this yesterday in an interview with LEADERSHIP WEEKEND in his office in Minna.
?
?
He said the government of Dr Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu on inception had paid the sum of N1.4billion as fund outstanding from carry-over gratuities to retired civil servants, while the sum of N200million was expended averagely in a month to settle pensioners.
The director-general disclosed that N13.094billion was expended on the old scheme, while the sum of N11 billion was expended in the new pension scheme.
?
?
He stated that the total amount expended on the two pension scheme also included 142 per cent payment of arrears for pensioners in the state.
The director-general also disclosed that the amount expended on the new pension scheme included the contributory sum of the government and the pensioners as well as five percent for redemption bond.
?
?
He therefore advised the pensioners under the new pension scheme to stop altering their information with the pension funds operators in order not to create problem with their database.
?Benu assured that the present administration would not relent in its effort to accord priority attention to the welfare of pensioners, saying that verification was ongoing to ascertain the actual profile of the pensions’ commitment of the government.