The Adamawa State Pension Board has asked for approval of the state House of Assembly for implementation of a N7,000 minimum monthly pension for retired civil servants.
Retired civil servants in the state currently receive a minimum of N4, 000 pension per month but there is a new policy raising the figure to N7, 000 which is yet to be implemented.
Thomas Madi, the executive chairman of the board, said on Thursday, September 3, 2020, while receiving members of the Adamawa State House of Assembly Standing Committee on Public Petition & Electoral Matters, that pensioners were anxious for the new rate to take effect.
He also told the lawmakers and other members of the government to consider introducing an indigenous contributory pension scheme which will be workable in the state.
He also called for full automation of pension through computerisation and software installation of the board facilities for effective pension administration.
Speaking, the chairman of the House Standing Committee on Public Petition, Wilberforce Dangolok who is also the Deputy Chief Whip and represents Guyuk state Constituency, told the board that the committee visited the pension board to get acquainted with its operational challenges.
He assured the board that the House of Assembly would assist them with their needs and would even carry out a wholesome pension review.
Although monthly pension is regularly paid in Adamawa State, the pension board is burdened with not only that smallness of the rate but a gratuity debt of N18 billion which is currently striving to pay with an allocation of N50 million per month.
Considering how far it would take to clear the arrears with such sum, the board has requested the monthly allocation for that specific purpose to N350 million, so it could pay it all over a period of about four years.
Source: The Nation
