The Jigawa State Government has given reasons for delaying retirement benefit payment to pensioners for seven years. According to the Executive Secretary of the Jigawa State Local Government Contributory Pension Scheme, Alhaji Kamilu Aliyu Musa, the delay was due to government’s desire to strengthen the state’s scheme.
He disclosed this after the payment of over N2 billion to 746 retirees. Musa said that one of the reasons that affected the mode of payment of the scheme was over-retirement from the state civil service. According to him, “the employment gap for many years has seriously paralysed the scheme as the number of retired civil servants is above the available funds.
“We earlier reported the problem to the former governor of the state, Gov Badaru Abubakar, towards the end of his tenure, where he constituted the committee, and the committee was later inaugurated by Gov Namadi after the election to address the problem. “Part of the committee’s report includes identifying the scheme’s problems and providing a solution to the problem. Henceforth, the scheme will continue to pay retirement benefits as of when due or on a quarterly basis.
