Niger legislators decry debt of N28bn owed retirees

Legislators of the Niger State House of Assembly have expressed concern over the N28b gratuity owed to retired civil servants and the hardship facing them in the state.

They lamented the development during the screening exercise of the 2024 budget of the Pension Board by the state House Committee on Labour and Productivity in Minna.

Speaking on their plights, the chairman of the committee, Murtala Badaru, said the retirees have been undermined and neglected in the state, hence the need to change the narratives as the representatives of the people.

He argued,” “Even the pension statutory allocation that is the component of the board, as the name implies, was cut off at N400 million. Where do you expect them to get the completion? That is to say, something is wrong with the system. The previous performance of the 2023 budget was very poor too, especially on the issue of gratuity”

“The enveloping system of budgets, where agencies, and departments (MDA’s) are given anything, irrespective of whether it will be enough for them or not is not healthy and must be stopped”

Badaru insisted that the members of the committee are not happy with the Planning Commission, concerned with the issue of preparing the budget for 2024.

The Chairman maintained that the envelope system entails the total that would be allocated to MDAs irrespective of their issues, adding,” we say enough is enough; this will not continue to happen in Niger”.

He then called on the state Governor, Muhammed Umaru Bago to impress on the Planning Commission to ensure budgets were prepared with consideration to realities on the ground.