The Kaduna State chapter of the National Union of Pensioners (NUP) has urged Governor Uba Sani to settle the N20 billion outstanding pension liabilities owed to its members.
The union’s State Secretary, Alhassan Balarabe-Musa, made the appeal on Thursday as part of the 2025 Workers’ Day celebrations.
According to Balarabe-Musa, Governor Sani inherited over N30 billion in unpaid pensions when he assumed office on 29 May 2023. He acknowledged that over N10.4 billion had been paid so far, including N3.6 billion in 2023 alone.
“We appreciate the payments made so far but urge the governor to accelerate efforts to clear the remaining N20 billion,” he said.
He expressed concern that many pensioners under the Contributory Pension Scheme, especially those disengaged from local government service since 2017, had not received any entitlements due to missing documentation.
“Many of these retirees and their families are in extreme hardship, barely surviving,” he noted.
Balarabe-Musa also urged the state to implement the new N62,000 minimum pension recommended by a recent Federal Government directive, noting that only Yobe State had complied.
“If implemented, Kaduna pensioners would benefit greatly. The governor should emulate his predecessor, who implemented the N30,000 minimum pension in February 2020,” he said.
The union also appealed for the allocation of land for a new NUP State Secretariat and called for the reversal of the sale of 15 union-owned houses at Marafa Estate, which he claimed was conducted in breach of due process for N200 million—funds yet to be accounted for.
Additionally, Balarabe-Musa requested the provision of an 18-seater bus for the union, noting that other trade unions had already received similar support.
“These requests, if addressed, would significantly improve the welfare and morale of our members,” he concluded.
