Gov AbdulRazaq clears LG pension arrears inherited from past government

AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the Kwara state Governor, has cleared the pension arrears his administration inherited from the past administration.

According to Dr. Hauwa Nuru, the Commissioner of Finance, AbdulRazaq’s administration also remained up to date in its payments of pensions to all categories of workers, including local government pensioners.

The statement reads, “Total amount inherited before this Administration was N3,315,686,405.33k; the total payment by this administration as of 15/7/24 is N1,870,636,297.67k. At the local government allocation meeting this week, however, the said Outstanding Balance (Pension Arrears) of N1,445,050,107.66 has now been approved to clear the remaining balance.”

“The available records show that this Administration of Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq is not in any way indebted in the payment of Pension (salary) to Pensioners, but inherited Arrears of Pension (Outstanding) of the total sum of N3,315,686,405.33k (Three Billion, three hundred and fifteen million, six hundred and eighty-six thousand, four hundred and five Naira, thirty-three Kobo) only as at the end of May 2019”.

Meanwhile, the governor has also approved cash-backing for the 2024 promotion exercise for eligible senior and junior Local Government staff and the 2023 promotion exercise for SUBEB staff, she added.

The approval, which underscores Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s commitment to improving worker welfare in the state, the current administration will ensure all promotions are cash-backed in due time.

The Commissioner added that the governor had consistently pledged to clear all pension and promotion arrears inherited from the previous administration, a promise he has steadily fulfilled since taking office.

The administration has also consistently released the sums of N100m monthly to steadily pay arrears of gratuities, which date back over a decade.

The government has similarly cleared all the salary arrears it inherited from the former administration, some dating back to 2015.

In a related development, the local government meeting has approved an additional ₦230,209,389.31 to settle outstanding furniture allowance arrears for former councillors from 1999-2002, 2004-2007, 2007-2010, and 2013-2016, according to the Commissioner.