2027 Beckons: ₦8bn Gratuity, ₦32,000 Minimum Pension Still a Promise as Adamawa Retirees Watch—and Remember

As the 2027 general elections draw closer, the silence surrounding Adamawa’s unpaid retirees is becoming louder—and more politically consequential. Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri’s much-publicised approvals and promises are yet to translate into relief for those who carried the state on their shoulders for decades.

In 2024, the governor approved ₦8 billion to clear gratuity backlogs for state and local government retirees—a decision that sparked renewed hope across the pension community. To underscore seriousness, a Gratuity Payment Committee was inaugurated, with the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) as chairman. Expectations were high; confidence was restored.

Months on, retirees insist they have seen nothing. Not a tranche. Not a schedule. Not a clear explanation. The ₦8 billion remains a headline, not a lifeline. The committee exists, but results do not.

Equally troubling is the fate of another solemn pledge: the promise to pay pensioners a minimum of ₦32,000. In a time of crushing inflation and rising medical costs, that assurance offered dignity and survival. Yet, for many pensioners, it has become a mirage—announced, applauded, and abandoned.

The human cost is devastating. Some pensioners have died waiting, their entitlements unpaid, their hopes unfulfilled. Others live on the brink, choosing between food and medicine, wondering why years of service now count for so little.

This is not merely an administrative lapse; it is a test of conscience and credibility. Governance is measured not by committees inaugurated or funds announced, but by payments made and lives improved.

As 2027 approaches, Governor Fintiri—and his political party—should take note: pensioners are watching. Their families are watching. Their communities are watching. These are not distant statistics; they are voters, opinion leaders, and custodians of memory. They remember who stood by them—and who did not.

If these commitments have slipped from the front burner, now is the time to act. Announcements must give way to action. Promises must become payments.

Because the day of reckoning is not far, and history—like the ballot—has a long memory.