Date: 2020-01-23

The Kwara State Government is owing retirees about N11bn in gratuities, the Executive Secretary of the state Pension Board, Aliyu Boni-Shuaibu, has said.

Boni-Shuaibu said this when Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq paid an unscheduled visit to the board in Ilorin on Tuesday, according to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye.

"We have also started clearing gratuities from March 2014, where the former government stopped. This is a great thing and we are very grateful to you," he stated.

The pension chief said the N150m the board was getting from the state government monthly for gratuity payment was stopped until Abdulrazaq government came in May last year.

According to him, they have been receiving N100m monthly from the state government to pay gratuities.

He also commended Abdulrazaq for approving training and retraining of staff of officials of the board.

He however urged the governor to consider enrolling the state in the Contributory Pension Scheme to reduce debt burden.