A storm is brewing in Kaduna as a coalition of retired Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries has raised the alarm over the government’s continued refusal to honour agreements on the restoration of their full pension benefits.
In a strongly worded statement issued Thursday in Kaduna, the aggrieved retirees, through their legal representative, Mr. Tanimu Abdullahi, called on Governor Uba Sani to urgently step in and end what they described as years of neglect and broken promises.
Abdullahi traced the crisis to March 2020, when the previous administration slashed their pensions by a staggering 80 per cent, an action the group insists violates Section 210 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Unwilling to accept the drastic cut, the retirees dragged the state government before the National Industrial Court, which in July 2021 ruled in their favour. The court directed the immediate restoration of their full pensions and ordered the payment of arrears put at about N1 billion within 30 days.
However, with the judgment allegedly ignored, the retirees returned to court and secured a “Garnishee Order” targeting three government bank accounts in a bid to enforce compliance.
The legal push was later suspended after Governor Sani, shortly after assuming office in October 2023, met with the group and persuaded them to withdraw the enforcement action, promising an amicable resolution.
According to Abdullahi, the governor pledged to capture their entitlements in the 2024 budget, establish a review committee, and ensure full implementation of its recommendations. A committee led by then Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Sule Shuaibu (SAN), was subsequently set up, with reported budgetary provisions made.
Yet, despite these assurances, the retirees say not a single kobo has been paid.
While acknowledging that the governor approved an increase to about 60 per cent of their entitlements, Abdullahi noted that the outstanding 40 per cent remains unpaid, leaving the retirees stranded.
The group warned that the prolonged delay has pushed many of its members into hardship, describing their situation as unbearable.
“19 out of about 80 affected retirees have died over the years due to stress-related illnesses and worsening economic conditions.”
They further decried what they termed selective treatment, noting that while other categories of pensioners in the state have recently received payments, their members have been completely sidelined.
The retirees are now demanding immediate action, urging the state government to obey the court ruling and fulfil its commitments without further delay.
They also appealed directly to Governor Sani to prove his commitment to justice and democratic accountability by resolving the lingering crisis once and for all.
