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Pensioners in Katsina State have called on the government to harmonise and review their monthly pensions, citing the increasing cost of living and disparities in payment structures.
Several retirees who spoke on the issue painted a grim picture of their struggles, urging the state government to fulfil its promises to improve their welfare.
Mallam Muhammadu Sani, who retired in 2020, expressed frustration over the inadequacy of his monthly pension of N24,000. “Before retiring, I used to buy a bag of rice for N7,000, but now it’s N90,000. I cannot feed my family of ten,” he lamented. Sani, who lives in a rented house, said he depends on occasional support from friends and family to survive.
He urged the government to “fear God” and review pensions, reminding leaders that they would one day be held accountable for their deeds before Allah.
“The screening exercise has even led to deductions from my N24,000 pension. Some pensioners receive as little as ₦5,000 monthly. This is disheartening,” he added.
Aliyu Muhammad Zamfarawa, a retiree since 2022, echoed similar sentiments. With a pension of N80,000 and 23 children to care for, Zamfarawa said, “Because of the high cost of items, our pension only lasts three to four days. The government should help us.”
He thanked the governor for initiating a contributory healthcare scheme for pensioners but called for improved registration processes, noting that many elderly pensioners struggle with the long queues.
Rabi’u Dandutse, who retired in 2014, is the chairman of the Funtua local government area branch of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP). He has called for the harmonisation of pension payments. “I am collecting N90,000, but some members receive as little as N3,700. This disparity is unjust,” he said.
Dandutse urged the state government to implement the five-year pension review law, which has yet to be largely ignored. “If someone retired 20 years ago with N5,000, their pension should have increased by now. Instead, there is a wide gap between older and newer retirees,” he noted.
He also reminded the government of the N30,000 minimum wage policy for pensions, which Katsina State has yet to implement fully. “We are hopeful that Governor Radda will fulfil his campaign promise to address this,” he said.
Asiya Musa, who retired in 2023 and receives N80,000 monthly, expressed gratitude for her relatively better situation but acknowledged the plight of others who struggle to afford necessities, including medication. She urged the government to ensure the success of the contributory healthcare scheme by addressing concerns such as the unavailability of drugs in health facilities.
The pensioners’ collective plea is clear: harmonise payments, implement pension reviews, and address the rising cost of living. Despite their struggles, many retirees believed in the government’s ability to keep its promises. However, the delay in action has left them grappling with financial uncertainty.
Governor Radda’s administration now is responsible for ensuring that the welfare of pensioners, many of whom have dedicated decades to public service, receives the urgent attention it deserves.
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