Govt. Agency debunks false claim of ethnic disparity in payment of retirees »

…warn ethnic bigots to stay clear of Pension commission

The Director-General, Kogi State Pension Commission, Hajia Mariam Ozioma Abedo has debunked a false claim peddled by some media quarters over ethnic disparity in the payment of retirees in the state.

In a press statement, the DG said “The attention of the Commission has been drawn to the campaign of calumny currently launched against His Excellency the Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello and the Kogi State Pension Commission by a group called Igala Vanguard regarding payment of retirees of Kogi state”

She added that ordinarily, such fallacious, baseless and unfounded lies should be ignored, however, leaving a lie to fester on for long could lead to some innocent minds believing such to be true.

Hajiya Mariam setting the records straight expressed that Kogi State consists of three Senatorial Districts, West, East and Central and not just Central and East as contained in the ridiculous article adding that the comparison was mischievously based on just two Senatorial Districts.

She said “On the spurious allegation of Central being favored against East, we can unequivocally state that there is no iota of truth as the limited fund given to the commission is usually utilized in paying gratuity as equitably as possible to retirees of the three zones.

It is on record that His Excellency Governor Yahaya Bello has been doing all his best to ensure equity and justice in the distribution of resources and political appointments in the state, an attribute he imbued in all his appointees of which the leadership of the Commission has been upholding”

According to her, governor Bello since inception of his administration has been releasing funds to the Commission to gradually clear the backlog of unpaid gratuity dating back to year 2000 in addition to paying those retiring during his tenure. It is also on record that Kogi state Pensioners have been collecting their Pension as at when due and through payroll system and she wondered where the ridiculous allegations of favoritism emerged from.

The DG however warned tribal bigots to stay off Kogi State Pension Commission and not to rubbish the good work His Excellency has been doing to put smiles back on the faces of our elder statesmen.

She asserted that the present administration of Alhaji Yahaya Bello has been hailed around the country as one that has cemented Kogi State together as he is fair and just to all and sees all as his.

Hajia Mariam thanked the governor for his relentless commitment to the welfare of pensioners in the State, which was one of the strong points that earned him a resounding second term assuring that the Commission with an iron-cast commitment to the ideals of the New Direction Agenda would continue to deliver on the promises of the Governor to our senior citizens.