Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule has revealed that the state government has approved the sum of N1.6 billion for the payment of year 2012 gratuities owed to retired civil servants in the state.
Sule disclosed this on Thursday in Lafia, the state capital while distributing no fewer than 100 electric vehicles and tricycles to youths drawn from across the 13 Local Government Areas of the state, in a bid to empower them and promote entrepreneurship in the state.
He disclosed that his administration had fully paid gratuities to retired civil servants under the state government’s employment from 1996 to 2011.
“This year, at the state level, we are also paying all the 2012, we will be paying them 100 per cent of their money amounting to N1.6 billion,” he said.
The governor also announced that the state government would support the local governments with the sum of N600 million for them to be able to pay their gratuities.
“For the retired civil servants, if you remember we started this payment of gratuity from the year 1996 to 2011, and they have been fully paid,” he explained.
Sule, however, cautioned the local government councils over the issue of overstaffing, which he opined was the reason for their challenges.
“Every year, the LGAs leave gratuity between N5 billion and N6 billion; there is no way they will be able to pay,” he said.
Sule, therefore urged the State House of Assembly to carry out an audit of the 13 LGAs as part of their oversight function to ascertain the actual staff records.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.
Contact: [email protected]
