The Niger Pension Board, led by Director-General Alhaji Nasiru Namaska, has denied claims of underpayment of gratuities to retirees in the state. In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna, Namaska asserted that the board has maintained transparency and clarity in its payment processes.
Namaska explained that many retirees who initially received gratuities under the New Pension Scheme were transitioned back to the Old Pension Scheme in 2017 due to complaints about inadequate benefits under the new system. The reversion was made because the old scheme provided higher payments compared to the new one.
He clarified that retirees previously moved to the old scheme had already received a lump sum payment from their Pension Fund Administration (PFA). The current gratuities being paid reflect the differential balance from those earlier payments. Namaska also suggested that retirees claiming underpayment might have overlooked their previous lump sum payments.
According to Namaska, 1,374 retirees from both the state and local government sectors have received their gratuities since the payment process began in July. He encouraged any retirees with concerns to reach out to the board for clarification, assuring that the board remains committed to transparency.
He further mentioned that while the state government is prioritizing the payment of gratuities, payments of pension arrears have been suspended due to significant financial constraints. Governor Bago had earlier announced ₦25 billion for the payment of gratuities to retirees from the year 2000 to the present.
