The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Kwara State Council, has commended Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for the regular payment of pensions, clearance of accumulated arrears and the commencement of gratuity payments to retirees in the state.

The commendation was made by the outgoing state chairman, Alhaji Saidu Oladimeji, during the union's sixth state delegate conference, held in Ilorin, where Dr Moses Lawal emerged as the new chairman.

Oladimeji said the AbdulRazaq administration had implemented a 20-percent pension increase for local government retirees who left service before May 2010, introduced a N10,000 across-the-board pension increase and included pensioners in palliative payments during periods of economic hardship.

He appealed to the government to expedite gratuity payments, harmonise pensions, implement consequential adjustments arising from the N30,000 and N70,000 national minimum wages, provide free healthcare for pensioners and address the union's need for a permanent secretariat.

In his speech, Lawal pledged to prioritise pensioners' welfare, pursue the payment of outstanding gratuities and pension arrears, and engage the government on a review of the N10,000 pension increase.

He expressed concern that some pensioners still received monthly pensions of no more than N13,000 despite the increase.

Other executive members are Mallam Ibrahim Abdulkarim (vice chairman); Alhaji Haruna Danjuma (treasurer); Chief James Dosumu and Alhaji Baba Akano, Alhaji Abdullahi Amao trustee.

The conference marked the end of the outgoing officers' two terms, and also provided an opportunity to call for unity and sustained engagement with the government to improve the welfare of pensioners in the State.