Gombe clears 2015 gratuity with N755m, promise to tackle others
No fewer than 700, 2015 Gombe State retirees have been paid additional 50 percent as final batch from the liabilities owed them.
Speaking on Friday, in an interview with newsmen, Mohammed Buba, Chairman of the committee charged with ascertaining beneficiaries of the gratuity said this would be the second and last phase of 2015 retirees.
According to Buba, The liability was inherited from 2019 when Governor Muhammadu Yahaya assumed office. We were assigned to verify or to ascertain the true position of the liability presented to the government.
He said, “Government released final 50 percent of 2015 gratuity and is about N755m. Almost about 700 retirees are going to benefit from the payment of 50 percent from 2015 liability.”
Commenting on the future plans by government to settle the bulk of the liabilities, Buba said government is committed to offsetting the debt.
“Government is very serious about it. The government met alot of liability and out of sympathy the governor is paying in batches. We appreciate him, surely he has the intention to offset the gratuity which is to be paid to all retirees.
“At the moment we are settling state government retirees, the governor has the intention to look at the local government and has started discussing with their chairmen. So, definitely something is going to come out,” Buba added.
On his part, Governor Muhammadu Yahaya, who was represented by Deputy Governor Dr. Manassah Jatau said payment is out of concern to alleviate suffering of the retired workers and would be a continued process.
He said ” it is the desire of our administration to continue the payment of gratuity and all other entitlements of workers and retirees in the state”so as to put smiles back again on the faces of our retired Civil Servants who served the state and humanity.”
The governor explained that the state government owes over 20 billion gratuities out of which 3 billion was paid and some are in the process of payment.
Earlier in his remarks, Commissioner, Ministry of Finance, Muhammad Magaji described the event as a milestone in the history of the current administration
The Commissioner recalled that the administration inherited a huge sum of money as liabilities and in his wisdom and sympathy the Governor has approved the settlement of the gratuities within available resources.
He said it is a thing of concern and pride that their administration has continued payment of the liabilities.
In an interactive session shortly after the event,the Magaji revealed that the total gratuity Government is owing stood at over 22 Billion naira comprising Over 9 Billion of Local Government retirees and over 12 billion of state retirement.
The Commissioner said from inception the administration of Governor Muhammadu Yahaya has paid three billion out of the gratuities owed state retirees expressing commitment of the Government to begin payment of local government retirees early next year.
He attributed the delay of payment of gratuities of local government retirees to audit exercise with a view to ascertaining the number of retirees and cost implication involved.
