Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has increased the minimum pension for retirees in the state from N5,000 to N20,000.

Gov Yusuf announced this on Thursday during the third phase of outstanding pension payments, where N5 billion was disbursed to ease the challenges faced by retirees.

SolaceBase reports that the governor explained that the increase is intended to cushion the effects of inflation on pensioners’ disposable incomes and purchasing power.

He highlighted the administration’s commitment to addressing long-standing issues in the pension scheme, which he described as one of the state’s biggest social security challenges since its creation in 1967.

He criticized the previous administration for neglecting retirees, withholding gratuities for eight years, and leaving families in hardship, noting that the current administration inherited over N48 billion in pension debts, leading to a crisis that required urgent intervention.

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To tackle the backlog, the governor said 2,667 pensioners from the 2016–2019 backlog received payments in the first phase of a special pension intervention. In a subsequent phase, another N5 billion was disbursed to pay 2,216 beneficiaries. The administration has ensured transparency and fairness throughout the process to restore trust in the system.

According to him, despite these efforts, outstanding liabilities remain, including N846 million in death benefits unclaimed by families of deceased pensioners.

Governor Yusuf directed the Kano State Pension Fund Trustee, the Sharia Court of Appeal, and the pension union to intensify efforts to identify affected families and disburse the funds, stressing that it is a moral obligation to honor the deceased retirees.

The governor also announced that an additional N5 billion had been allocated to settle the entitlements of 2,000 beneficiaries, he said to prevent mismanagement, payments are being made directly into beneficiaries’ bank accounts.

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He assured pensioners of his administration’s transparency and urged anyone who does not receive their payment to contact the Commissioner of Finance or himself directly.

In a remark, Chairman, Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Kano State Branch, Comrade. Kabiru A. Inuwa, expressed gratitude to the governor for his commitment to improving the welfare of retirees and workers in the state.

He noted that since the emergence of Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf as the governor, he has shown remarkable kindness and dedication to the people of Kano State, particularly civil servants and reti

Comrade Inuwa announced at the occasion an award from the NLC to Gov. Abba Kabir Yusuf.