By Umar Anache, Niger

Niger State Govenor, Dr.Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu has given civil servants in the state who have reached the age of retirement and have not done so six months ultimatum to effect their retirement or face appropriate sanctions.

Governor Aliyu gave the ultimatum during the flagging off ceremony of the new pension scheme at the Government House, Minna recently.

Governor Babangida decried the attitude of some civil servants who, according to him, engage in tampering with their years of services so as to escape retirement.

The governor, who assured the state civil servants of better life after their retirement from service, however warned that, "who ever is caught involved in such attitude will surely loose all his/her retirement benefits."

He said government had released the sum of N1.7billion to the state pension board, representing the employees contribution to the pension scheme since March 2007.

In his welcome addressing at the occasion, the state commissioner of finance, Alhaji Aminu Yusuf lauded the governor for his effort in settling the pension gratuity inherited from the last administration of Engineer Abdullahi Abdulkadir Kure and called on the civil servants in the state to give the governor their maximum support to administer the state.