The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has called on the State Bureau for Pension Administration to ensure fairness and objectivity in the disbursement of gratuities to pensioners across the state.
Chairman of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Hudu Alhaji, made the appeal on Tuesday in Lafia, during the bureau’s appearance before the committee for the defence of its second-quarter budget performance.
Alhaji urged the management of the bureau to treat all pensioners with dignity, stressing that gratuity payment should not be influenced by personal connections or favoritism.
“You should not be selective in the payment of gratuity, as pensioners should be treated equally, having served the state meritoriously. Payment should not be on the basis of who you know,” he cautioned.
The lawmaker commended Governor Abdullahi Sule for prioritising the welfare of retirees, while appealing to him to further strengthen the payment of gratuities to cushion the economic hardships facing pensioners. He also assured that the Assembly would continue to work with the executive to provide succour to retired workers in the state.
Earlier, Mr. Adams Gani, Director of Finance and Administration at the bureau, expressed appreciation to Governor Sule for his consistent support to the agency. He also commended the Assembly for its backing and called for its sustenance.
Gani, however, appealed for improved funding to enable the bureau to settle outstanding gratuities and enhance the welfare of pensioners in Nasarawa State.
