Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s administration in Kwara State has defrayed the total pension arrears it inherited from the past administration, according to a statement from the Ministry of Finance.
The statement said the administration has also remained up to date in its payments of pensions to all categories of workers, including local government pensioners.
“Total amount inherited before this Administration was N3,315,686,405.33k; the total payment by this administration as at 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,” according to the statement by the Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Hauwa Nuru.
She said “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”.
The local government meeting also approved an additional ₦230,209,389.31 to settle outstanding furniture allowance arrears for former councilors from 1999-2002, 2004-2007, 2007-2010, and 2013-2016, according to the Commissioner.
The government 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.
Dr. Nuru said this approval again underscores Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s commitment to improving worker welfare in the state.
The Commissioner assured workers that the current administration will ensure all promotions are cash-backed in due time.
Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq 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 dated back to more than a decade.
The government has similarly cleared all the salary arrears it inherited from the former administration, some dating back to 2015.