The Zamfara State Government has approved for the implementation of a N32,000 minimum pension for retired civil servants, as part of ongoing efforts to improve workers’ welfare and social security in the state.
Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Broadcast, Press and Public Affairs, Mustapha Jafaru Kaura, disclosed this while speaking with journalists in Gusau.
He explained that, the initiative followed the approval of the new national minimum wage of N70,000 by Governor Dauda Lawal in 2024, in line with federal legislation.
According to him, the wage adjustment also necessitated an upward review of pensions to ensure that retirees benefit from the improved structure.
“The governor deemed it necessary to introduce a minimum pension benchmark of N32,000. This is to support pensioners whose earnings were previously as low as N3,000 to N7,000 monthly,” he said.
Mustapha Kaura noted that, the policy took effect from May 2026 and that pensioners would begin receiving payments, including arrears, by the end of June.
He further described the administration Governor Dauda Lawal as worker-friendly, citing the consistent payment of salaries on or before the 25th of every month.
Beyond pensions, the aide revealed that, the government had cleared a backlog of gratuities spanning over 13 years, amounting to about N13.6 billion, benefiting retirees across state and local government levels.
He added that the state government has also approved the computation of retirement benefits based on the new N70,000 minimum wage for workers retiring from 2024 onward.
“This means that retirees from 2025 and beyond will receive significantly higher gratuities compared to those who retired under the previous wage structure,” he explained.
Highlighting broader achievements, Mustapha Jafaru Kaura said the administration had executed multiple infrastructure projects under its development agenda, including road construction, urban renewal, and rural transformation initiatives across the state.
He listed key projects to include several kilometers of road construction linking major communities, as well as the rehabilitation of infrastructure across the 14 local government areas.
He emphasized that the government remains committed to improving the welfare of civil servants and pensioners while sustaining development projects across Zamfara State.
COV/AMINU DALHATU
