The Bauchi State Government has disbursed N2.369 billion in gratuities to 1,285 retired civil servants from the state and local government levels. This payment is part of the ongoing exercise for retirees from the 2012 and 2013 batches. The Disbursement Committee responsible for the exercise made this disclosure at a press conference held at the Government House, Bauchi.
According to the Executive Secretary of the National Pension Commission (PENCOM), Ibrahim Inuwa, 243 retirees have yet to appear to collect their cheques at the end of the first phase. He explained that the government had validated retirees from 2012 to 2016, while payments had so far covered the 2012 and 2013 batches. Inuwa urged the outstanding beneficiaries to take advantage of the second phase to complete the necessary procedures.
A member of the committee overseeing payments to local government retirees, Muhammad Kabir Sizwe, provided details of the first phase. He said 1,528 beneficiaries were expected to participate, comprising 377 state government retirees and 1,151 local government retirees. However, 243 beneficiaries failed to appear, leaving approximately N351 million available for them.
The committee disclosed that about N147 million was reserved for the 84 state retirees, while N204.104 million was set aside for the 159 local government retirees. They urged the affected retirees to come forward and complete the process to receive their cheques. Another committee member, Kola Oyerinde, said the second phase would cover retirees from the 2014 batch.
The second phase is set to begin on Monday, with 583 state retirees scheduled for processing. The committee clarified that N10 billion had been set aside for the gratuity payment exercise, dismissing reports that only N3 billion had been approved. They assured retirees who had been verified and validated for payment between 2012 and 2016 that they would receive their entitlements.
The committee further stated that retirees with outstanding payments from previous batches could report on any day during the exercise. The payment exercise would run for five days, including Saturday, while Sunday would be excluded. Retirees who could not travel because of health challenges were advised to contact the relevant authorities for assistance.
The committee also urged relatives of deceased retirees to follow the required legal procedures before claiming their entitlements. With the second phase commencing on Monday, the Bauchi State Government aims to ensure that all eligible retirees receive their gratuities. The exercise is being conducted in a transparent and efficient manner to avoid any inconvenience to the beneficiaries.
Key points
- The Bauchi State Government has paid N2.369 billion in gratuities to 1,285 retired civil servants.
- 243 retirees have yet to appear to collect their cheques at the end of the first phase.
- The second phase of the payment exercise is set to begin on Monday, covering retirees from the 2014 batch.
