“Gov. Yusuf Accuses Ganduje of Threatening Social Security in Kano”

Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has sharply criticized the acting National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, accusing him of exacerbating the state’s social security crisis. He pointed to the N48 billion in unpaid gratuities and death benefits to pensioners and other beneficiaries during Ganduje’s eight years as governor of the state.

At the official launch of the third phase of a N5 billion payment plan aimed at addressing the backlog of gratuities and death benefits for retirees at the Government House in Kano on Thursday, Governor Yusuf expressed his deep concerns about the situation facing the state’s pensioners.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa, Governor Yusuf revealed that the outstanding gratuities had piled up to over N48 billion—an alarming figure he described as “the biggest threat to social security ever seen since the creation of Kano State in 1967.”

Governor Yusuf lamented that under Ganduje’s administration, pensioners had been denied their rightful benefits for eight years, leading to significant hardship. “Many retirees lost their lives while waiting for their dues,” he said.

To address this crisis, Governor Yusuf announced that his administration had already paid out N16 billion in gratuities to 6,886 retirees in three phases, honoring a key campaign promise to support the elderly citizens who had contributed to the state. He emphasized that these payments were not just a moral but a legal responsibility, and that the funds would be disbursed through a transparent electronic system to ensure accountability.

“We are not making cash payments to avoid the irregularities that plagued the previous administration. Every retiree will receive their payment directly into their bank accounts,” he assured.

In addition to the N16 billion in gratuities, Governor Yusuf revealed that N846 million in unclaimed death benefits were awaiting distribution, and directed the state’s Pension Fund Trustees to locate the beneficiaries’ next of kin to ensure proper payment.

Furthermore, the governor announced an increase in the minimum pension allowance, raising it from N5,000 to N20,000 to better reflect the impact of inflation and address the reduced purchasing power of pensioners.