Governor Ahmadu Fintiri has approved a new minimum monthly pension of ₦50,000 for retired civil servants in Adamawa State.
The approval ends years of complaints over the state’s previous minimum pension of just ₦4,000.
Fintiri announced the decision on Friday during a live appearance on the Hausa programme Taba Kidi Taba Karatu, aired by the Adamawa Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) in Yola.
Fintiri explains decision
The governor described the previous minimum pension as unfair to retired workers. He said his administration decided to correct the situation after many years.
Fintiri noted that retired civil servants deserved better welfare after years of dedicated service.
He added that the new payment reflected his government’s commitment to improving the living conditions of pensioners across the state.
Pension rises by ₦46,000
The new minimum pension increases the previous payment by ₦46,000 every month.
It represents a 1,150 per cent increase from the former minimum pension of ₦4,000.
For many years, retirees complained that the payment could no longer meet their basic needs. Rising living costs and inflation made the situation even worse.
As a result, many pensioners repeatedly appealed to successive administrations for an upward review of their monthly entitlements.
Relief for retirees
About a month ago, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) in Adamawa State, Mohammed Sali, revealed that the state’s least-paid pensioners had received ₦4,000 monthly for more than 20 years.
Although Sali did not comment after Friday’s announcement, many retirees are expected to welcome the new payment.
Meanwhile, the latest review follows similar steps taken by several state governments across Nigeria.
Many states have reviewed workers’ salaries and pension benefits to reflect current economic realities and the rising cost of living.
Read also: Gov Fintiri Officially Defects to APC, Says Adamawa Back to Centre of National Politics
