The Secretary to the Gombe State Government (SSG), Prof Abubakar Ibrahim Njodi has revealed that immediate past administration in the state squandered N59.6 billion of bailout funds meant for the payment of pensions, gratuities and salaries.

Prof Abubakar Ibrahim Njodi disclosed this during a meewho met leaders of the Union of Pensioners after they staged a peaceful protest on Wednesday in Gombe.

The Secretary to the Gombe State Government (SSG) who spoke on behalf of Governor Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya, appealed to the pensioners to exercise patience and remain calm as the Government is not unaware of their plight

His words: “Blaming the Inuwa Yahaya administration for non-payment of your liabilities was not fair owing to the fact that it is common knowledge to all that the immediate past administration squandered N59.6 billion of bailout funds meant for the payment of pensions, gratuities and salaries without addressing the real issues up to the time it left office.

“This is apart from so many anomalies that are recorded about State and Local Government civil servants which include ghost workers among many others and which the present administration is committed to addressing.

“So, we appeal to you to exercise patience and remain calm as the Government is not unmindful of your plight and we are committed to addressing and changing things for the better since the current government was voted based on its promise to change things for the better”.

Gombe SSG stated that Governor Inuwa Yahaya has released N1,650,000,000 to pay arrears of gratuity for State retirees.

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